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This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Rights and Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kay, N. E. Articles by Nelson, D. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kay, N. E. Articles by Nelson, D. L. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?  Previous Article  |  Table of Contents  |  Next Article  The malignant B cells from B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients release TAC-soluble interleukin-2 receptors NE Kay, J Burton, D Wagner and DL Nelson Section of Hematology/Oncology, Minneapolis Veterans Administration Medical Center, MN 55417. Both membrane (p55) and soluble (p45) forms of TAC-reactive interleukin- 2 receptor (IL-2R) are expressed and/or released by activated lymphocytes or monocytes. Previous work has detected increased levels of circulating, TAC-soluble IL-2R (soluble TAC antigen) in the serum of most B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) patients. We detected soluble TAC antigen in B-CLL patients (mean of 3,332 U/mL v 410 for controls). Serum soluble TAC antigen levels increased with stage (mean value of 1,187 U/mL for stage 0 v 2,527 for stage 2 and 5,410 for stages 3 and 4). We next attempted to determine whether the elevated serum levels of soluble TAC antigen in B-CLL patients might result from shedding or secretion of the receptor from the circulating, malignant B cells. Purified, malignant B cells from B-CLL patients were capable of producing easily detectable soluble TAC antigen after 48 hours of in vitro culture (range of 60 to 1,563 U/mL). IL-2R production by CLL B cells was dose dependent in most patients over a concentration of 10 x 10(6) to 60 x 10(6)/mL. In contrast, there was little or no detectable soluble TAC antigen when highly purified T cells from the same patients were cultured. Finally, despite elaboration of soluble IL-2R by CLL B cells, membrane expression of B-cell IL-2R was detected in only six of 11 patients. Thus, the cellular source of the elevated serum IL-2R levels is the malignant CLL B cell. Taken together these data suggest that (a) the malignant CLL B cell is "activated" in terms of release of soluble IL-2R and may serve as a tumor marker in this disease and (b) the elevated levels of circulating IL-2R may be an associated factor in the cellular immunodeficiency noted in B-CLL patients. Volume 72, Issue 2, pp. 447-450, 08/01/1988 Copyright © 1988 by The American Society of Hematology CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

	Copyright © 1988 by American Society of Hematology         Online ISSN: 1528-0020