title: Endogenous interleukin-2 serum levels in children infected with human immunodeficiency virus.
abstract: Levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in serum obtained from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children at health maintenance visits were measured to characterize endogenous IL-2 responses and to examine the association between these responses and progression of immunosuppression. IL-2 was detectable (level >8.7 pg/mL) in the serum of 28 of 45 HIV-infected children; 42% (19 of 45) had serum IL-2 levels of >39 pg/mL. Children without evidence of immunosuppression (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Pediatric HIV Classification Immunologic Category 1, n = 15) and children with severe immunosuppression (immunologic category 3, n = 20) had statistically significant lower serum IL-2 levels (mean +/- [SD], 134.4 +/- 227.3 pg/mL and 18.2 +/- 30.3 pg/mL, respectively) than those with moderate immunosuppression (mean +/- [SD], 450.5 +/- 311.8 pg/ml; immunologic category 2, n = 10) (P < .05, Wilcoxon rank sum test). In those children in whom immunosuppression was evident, decreasing serum IL-2 levels correlated with depletion of CD4+ lymphocytes (r = 0.74), whereas there was an inverse correlation between serum IL-2 levels and CD4+ lymphocyte counts (r = -0.47) in children with no or moderate immunosuppression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Johann-Liang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cervia
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Noel
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2