title: Measurement of Soluble Interleukin 2 Receptor in Sera of Adult Patients with Hematological or Solid Malignancies.
abstract: Interleukin 2 (IL-2) exerts its biological activity through a specific membrane receptor. Using specific monoclonal antibodies directed against the IL-2 receptor, a soluble form of this receptor can be detected in the serum. This soluble part of the human IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R) is released by T and B lymphocytes and plays a role in lymphoid cell growth regulation. We have measured the sIL-2R by ELISA in the serum of patients with solid tumors and with hematological malignancies (44 chronic lymphocytic leukemias (CLL), 5 hairy cell leukemias (HCL), 14 Hodgkin's diseases (HKD), 34 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) and 19 acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL). The mean sIL-2R level in 40 normal subjects was 173 + 168 U/ml (mean {pminus} SD). It was considerably increased in HCL: 17938 {pminus} 23748 (P < 0.0003). In CLL, a significant increase was found which was particularly pronounced at clinical stage III and IV with a mean level of 1299 {pminus} 1127 U/ml. In HKD, sIL-2R was slightly but significantly increased 519 + 524 U/ml (P < 0.0004). In NHL, the sIL-2R level was 1015 {pminus} 1022 U/ml, but this increase did not correlate with the clinical stage or the histological grade of the disease. In ALL, sIL-2R levels were also significantly increased 1633 + 1046 U/ml (P < 0.00001). In 69 patients with solid tumors (including lung carcinomas, gynecological and digestive malignancies), 39% of the patients tested had slightly increased sIL-2R levels. However, this increase, when present, could not be related to the tumor histology. These results suggest that sIL-2R measurement is a poor diagnostic marker for solid tumors and some lymphoproliferative disorders. However, in patients with hematological malignancies, it could be a useful tool to monitor lymphoid neoplasias.
authors.affiliation: a Institut J. Bordet, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delforge
authors.affiliation: a Institut J. Bordet, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernier
authors.affiliation: b Eurogenetics, Tessenderlo, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bosmans
authors.affiliation: a Institut J. Bordet, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massy
authors.affiliation: a Institut J. Bordet, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bron
authors.affiliation: c Willems Instituut, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heyligen
authors.affiliation: c Willems Instituut, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raus
authors.affiliation: d Hopital Français Reine Elisabeth, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mendes Da Costa
authors.affiliation: a Institut J. Bordet, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stryckmans
keywords: interleukin 2; leukemia; receptor; soluble; tumor