The serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels in patients with obstructive jaundice.
OBJECTIVE
Increased susceptibility to infection in patients with obstructive jaundice is well recognized. Depression of reticuloendothlial system phagocytic function and suppression of cellular immunity suggested by in vivo studies have been postulated as the cause. It has been shown that increased serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels are the marker of immune system activation, especially T cell activation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cellular immune system activation by measuring serum sIL-2R levels in 18 patients with obstructive jaundice (11 with choledocholithiasis, 7 with malignant obstructive jaundice), 10 patients with liver cirrhosis and 10 healthy subjects.


METHODS
Serum sIL-2R levels were measured by using ELISA (Boehringer Manheim). Lymphocyte subgroups were determined by flowcytometry. Serum immungolubulins (IgG, IgA, IgM) and autoantibodies such as antinuclear antibody, rheumatoid factor, anti-thyroglobulin and anti-microsomal antibody were measured.


RESULTS
The levels of serum sIL-2R were found to be 47.1-121.2 (mean 77.3, SD +/- 20.1) pmol/l in healthy subjects, 82.8-199.2 (mean 150.9 +/- 32.2) pmol/L in patients with liver cirrhosis and 32.6-172.5 (mean 121.7 +/- 40.6) pmol/L in patients with obstructive jaundice. Serum sIL-2R levels were significantly higher in patients with liver cirrhosis or obstructive jaundice than in healthy subjects (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05 respectively). There is a significant difference in levels between patients with choledocholithiasis and with malignant obstructive jaundice (p < 0.01). Serum sIL-2R levels were measured higher in patients with liver cirrhosis than those in patients with obstructive jaundice (p < 0.059).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with obstructive jaundice, and to a lesser extent in those with liver cirrhosis, in vivo activation of immune system may be considered possible.
Yüceyar
H
H
Department of Gastroenterology, Aegean University, Medical School Hospital, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
Kokuludag
A
A
Coker
A
A
Ersöz
G
G
Keskinoglu
A
A
Güler
A
A
Cavusoglu
H
H
D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2