Interleukin-2 activated cells from peripheral blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The effect of recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) on proliferative and cytotoxic response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was investigated in a group of 21 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). There was a significant decrease in thymidine uptake of peripheral blood mononuclear cells when compared with controls. However, IL-2 induced cytotoxicity was not diminished and minimal frequencies of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells precursors remained in the range of control group. These data provide an evidence about the dissection between proliferative and cytotoxic response of PBMCs to exogenous interleukin-2 in patients with SLE in vitro. The factors contributing to this effect and the clinical significance of these findings remains to be answered.

[Various clinical courses of hypersensitivity vasculitis with eosinophilia]. / Rozdílné klinické prubéhy hypersenzitivních vaskulitid s eozinofilií.

The authors present three case-histories of patients who were followed up for prolonged periods and where the diagnosis of hypersensitive vasculitis was made. During the follow up period it was not possible to prove development into a different group of vasculitis or to detect a hitherto latent associated disease. Another common sign of the investigated patients was eosinophilia repeatedly found in peripheral blood, bone marrow and tissues. According to clinical criteria the above patients could not be included in groups of known types of vasculitis which are associated with eosinophilia. The patients differed significantly as to clinical manifestations of the disease, the response to different therapeutic approaches and some laboratory immunological indicators. The authors discuss the possible participation of eosinophilia in the tissue damage.

Natural killer and interleukin-2 induced cytotoxicity in asthmatics. I. Effect of acute antigen-specific challenge.

Natural killer (NK) cell activity and interleukin-2 (IL-2) induced cytotoxicity to NK-resistant targets T24 in a group of patients with grass pollen seasonal asthma were investigated. Acute bronchial provocation with this antigen was also performed and blood samples were taken before and 15 min after the maximal clinical response. NK activity was elevated in this group but there was a significant decrease after acute challenge. IL-2 induced cytotoxicity was also increased and declined after antigen challenge. Limiting dilution analysis for minimal frequencies of precursors of the IL-2 induced killer cells was introduced and showed increased numbers of lymphokine-activated killing precursors in this group of patients. These data might indicate the aberrations of the IL-2 system in immediate type allergy but the clinical significance of these findings remains to be determined.

Effect of recombinant interleukin-2 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells following antigen-specific bronchial provocation.

In a group of 18 patients with seasonal asthma and rhinitis acute bronchial provocation was performed with grass pollen antigens. Blood samples were taken before and 15 minutes after the maximal clinical response. Effect of recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by tritiated thymidine uptake method was investigated. T4 and T8 subpopulations were also evaluated before and after acute challenge. The patients had a significantly higher responsiveness of their PBMCs to IL-2 in vitro. After acute challenge there was a significant reduction of the IL-2 responsiveness as well as a decrease in percentage of T4 cells. These changes, however, poorly correlated with the degree of bronchial obstruction and with the dose of inhaled antigen.