title: Alteration of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and soluble IL-2 receptor secretion in the sera and urine of patients with rickettsial boutonneuse fever.
abstract: Sera and urine samples from 115 Sicilian patients with boutonneuse fever (BF), obtained at the time of diagnosis and after clinical recovery, were analyzed for concentrations of interleukin (IL)-2 and soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R). There were significantly high levels of sIL-2R in the urine and sera of patients with acute BF compared with healthy controls, and the values returned to normal following successful chemotherapy. The data indicate that the sIL-2R urine concentrations correlated directly with the sIL-2R sera levels. In contrast, in all tested sera and urine samples, IL-2 levels were normal. Furthermore, a reduction in IL-2 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from acute BF patients was also observed. sIL-2R represents an unspecific marker useful to monitor the evolution of BF.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal Medicine, Laboratory of Immunology, University of Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mansueto
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: D'Ancona
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Colletti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Graceffa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: La Seta
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pecoraro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gambino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grillo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Richiusa
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cillari
mesh_terms: D001907:Boutonneuse Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D012802:Sicily
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2