Objective: To explore the changes of serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) in lymphocytic malignancies and its clinical implication.
Methods: The serum levels of sIL-2R were measured in 60 cases of patients with various malignant lymphocytic proliferative disorders by using ELISA method. At the same time, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was also determined in 43 patients by using fluorescence activated cell sorter(FACS).
Results: The serum levels of sIL-2R in patients with multiple myeloma(MM), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL) were significantly higher than that of normal value. The ratio of CD4+/CD8+ measured in 43 patients were markedly lower than that of normal value. In MM, NHL and ALL patients, the higher values of sIL-2R were revealed in severe cases or late stage of these diseases. The levels of sIL-2R were independant of the infection in these cases.
Conclusion: sIL-2R levels significantly elevated as the disease progressing, and the immune function decreasing, and the sIL-2R level may be used as an effective clinical marker.