Increased Level of Soluble Interleukin-2 Receptor in Advanced Solid Tumors: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Both activated normal and transformed lymphocytes produce not only cell-associated but also cell-free IL-2R. Evidence of high serum concentrations of IL-2R appears to serve as a tumor marker in patients with lymphomas On the contrary, the role of soluble IL-2R in solid neoplasms has still to be defined. This investigation was carried out to analyze soluble IL-2R production in human solid tumors. The study included 35 patients with solid tumors (12 without and 23 with metastases), 58 healthy subjects and 6 lymphoma patients. Among cancer patients, lung and breast carcinoma were the two most frequent neoplasms. In each subject or patient, serum levels of IL-2R were measured by using an enzyme immunoassay. Moreover, in 14/23 patients with metastatic solid tumors, lymphocyte subpopulations were also evaluated. Serum levels of IL-2R were significantly higher in the cancer patients than in the normal subjects. The patients with metastatic solid tumors showed significantly higher mean levels than those without metastases, and similar to those observed in the lymphoma patients. Finally, there was no correlation between serum levels of IL-2R and the T4/T8 ratio, which was reduced in 5/14 cancer patients. Further studies will be needed to establish if elevated concentrations of IL-2R in the serum can contribute to the immunoincompetence of patients with disseminated solid neoplasms.

Interleukin-2 receptor and ovarian cancer

“…In contrast the results of Rovelli et al (1988) agree with ours. In their study serum IL-2R levels were significantly higher in patients with malignant disease (mostly of breast and lung) than in normal subjects.…”

Serum tumour markers in lung cancer: history, biology and clinical applications

“…Activated lymphocytes produce and release into the circulation a soluble form of the same receptor (sIL-2R), that retains the capability of binding the lymphokine [80]. Serum levels of sIL-2R may be elevated in patients with virus infections [81,82], sarcoidosis [83], Grave's disease [84], organ transplants [85,86], lymphoproliferative disorders [87,88], and solid tumours [89,90].…”

“…In various human malignancies, a relationship has been observed between sIL-2R and some clinical parameters, such as tumour burden and treatment response [89,90]. Recently, our group performed 326 sIL-2R serum assays in 126 lung cancer patients, 112 patients with pulmonary benign disease, and 63 healthy volunteers [92].…”

Soluble interleukin-2 receptors (sIL-2R) in Hodgkin's disease: outcome and clinical implications

“…This compromised host's anti-tumour immunity could lead to unusually aggressive disease. In fact, abnormally high blood levels of sIL-2R have been detected in several clinical states characterized by suppression of cellular immunity, including AIDS and metastatic solid tumours (Kloster et al, 1987;Rovelli et al, 1988). Moreover, recent clinical studies have also pointed out that elevated sIL-2R levels play a negative prognostic role in various malignancies, such as metastatic solid tumours, hairy cell leukaemia, chronic leukaemia, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and lymphomas Semenzato et al, 1987;Pui et al, 1988aPui et al, , 1989Rovelli et al, 1988;Steis et al, 1988;Chilosi et al, 1989;Motoi et al, 1989;Gause et al, 1992a;Enblad et al, 1995).…”