OBJECTIVETo study changes to CD4(+)CD25(high+)CD127(low) regulatory T cells (Treg) in peripheral blood from children with bronchiolitis, and to explore its clinical significance.

METHODSThirty-one children with bronchiolitis and aged under two years were randomly enrolled as the bronchiolitis group, and 25 under two-year-olds with bronchopneumonia were randomly enrolled as the bronchopneumonia group. A further twenty-five children with non-infectious diseases such as hernia and renal calculus served as the control group. The level of CD4(+)CD25(high+)CD127(low) Treg in peripheral blood was measured by multi-color detection and multi-parameter flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe proportion of CD4(+)CD25(high+)CD127(low) Treg in peripheral blood in the bronchiolitis group (8.0%±2.1%) was significantly lower than in the bronchopneumonia (9.6%±2.6%; P<0.05) and control groups (11.3%±2.9%; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCD4(+)CD25(high+)CD127(low) Treg level in peripheral blood may be an index of immunological function in infants. A decreased level of CD4(+)CD25(high+)CD127(low) Treg in peripheral blood suggests that Treg cells may be involved in the pathogenesis and development of bronchiolitis.

Bronchiolitis ; immunology ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Infant ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; blood ; Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit ; blood ; Male ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo observe the proportion change of immune cells in the peripheral blood of patients with rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy and to explore the relationship between tumor regression and CD4⁺CD25(High)CD127(low) regularly T cells(Treg cells).

METHODSPatients with rectal cancer who underwent the neoadjuvant therapy before surgery at the Shanxi Cancer Hospital Colorectal Surgery Department from January to December 2013 were prospectively enrolled. These patients were divided into down-staging group and non-down-staging group according to the change of staging in accordance with TNM classification for rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the proportions of Treg cells, CD4+T cells, CD8+T cells, NK cells, B cells, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in the peripheral blood from these patients before and after neoadjuvant therapy.

RESULTSA total of 108 patients were enrolled, including 76 cases in the down staging group and 32 cases in the non-down-staging group. Differences of immune cells proportions between two groups before neoadjuvant therapy were not statistically significant(all P>0.05). In the down-staging group, the proportions of Treg cells, B cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were decreased while the proportion of NK cells did not change obviously after the neoadjuvant therapy. Interestingly, in the non-down-staging group, the proportions of B cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were decreased while the proportions of Treg cells and NK cells did not change obviously after the neoadjuvant therapy. In addition, after neoadjunvat therapy, the proportion of Treg cells in down-staging group was significantly lower than that in non-down-staging group [(4.4 ± 1.7)% vs. (6.2 ± 1.9)%, P=0.001].

CONCLUSIONFor patients in the down-staging group after neoadjuvant therapy, the proportion of Treg cells in peripheral blood decreases, suggesting that Treg cells may be a valuable biomarker for assessing tumor regression.

CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Rectal Neoplasms ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; Treatment Outcome

Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; immunology ; Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit ; immunology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology

Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; Liver Diseases ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology

Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical relevance of serum interleukin-2 receptor α (IL-2Rα) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: One hundred and seven SLE patients and 39 healthy controls with comparable age and gender were recruited at Peking University People's Hospital from January 2019 to December 2020. Complete clinical data in 107 SLE patients at baseline and follow-up were collected. SLE disease activity index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) was used to assess the disease activity of the SLE patients. The serum level of IL-2Rα in the SLE patients and healthy controls was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The association between serum IL-2Rα and clinical and laboratory parameters was investigated. Mann-Whitney U test or t test, Chi-square test and Spearman correlation were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The serum IL-2Rα levels were significantly higher in the SLE patients [830.82 (104.2-8 940.48) ng/L], compared with those in the healthy controls [505.1 (78.65-1 711.52) ng/L] (P < 0.001). Association analysis showed that the increased serum IL-2Rα was positively associated with SLEDAI-2K scores and anti-nucleosome antibody (r=0.357, P < 0.001; r=0.25, P=0.027, respectively). Thirty-six of 107 (33.6%) SLE patients had lupus nephritis. Serum IL-2Rα levels were significantly higher in the patients accompanied with lupus nephritis [1 102.14 (126.52-8 940.48) ng/L] than in the patients without lupus nephritis [743.89 (104.19-4 872.06) ng/L] (P=0.032). The patients in the high IL-2Rα group had more lupus nephritis compared with those in the low IL-2Rα group (40.8% vs. 19.4%, P=0.031). Meanwhile, SLEDAI-2K scores were found significantly higher in the high IL-2Rα group than in the low IL-2Rα group [10 (3-21) vs. 7 (3-16), P=0.001]. With the improvement of disease activity in the SLE patients after conventional treatments, serum levels of IL-2Rα [1 119.1 (372.25-2 608.86) ng/L] in the week 12 decreased significantly compared with the baseline [1 556.73 (373.08-8 940.48) ng/L] (P=0.042). CONCLUSION Serum IL-2Rα may be used as a biomarker of disease activity in patients with SLE. There is certain correlation between serum IL-2Rα and renal involvement in SLE.
Biomarkers/blood* ; Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit/blood* ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/diagnosis*

PURPOSE: Although local resection like endoscopic mucosal resection for early gastric cancer is accepted as a treatment option, one of the most important drawbacks of such an approach is the inability to predictlymph node metastasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum soluble receptor alpha for interleukin-2 (IL-2Ralpha) level as a predictor of lymph node metastasis in the patients with early gastric cancer. METHODS: Assessment of pre-operative serum IL-2Ralpha levels was performed on 86 patients with early gastric cancer treated by gastrectomies combined with D2 lymph node resections and 20 healthy controls at Samsung Medical Center. Data on patient age and gender, tumor size, depth of invasion, histologic differentiation, and endoscopic findings were reviewed post-operatively. The submucosal lesions were divided into three layers (sm1, sm2, and sm3) in accordance with the depth of invasion. RESULTS: Lymph node metastasis was observed in 16 patients (18.6%). Statistically, the serum IL-2Ralpha level was an important predictive factor of lymph node metastasis in undifferentiated gastric cancer, and the cut-off point for the predictive value of serum IL-2Ralpha level was 200 U/mL. CONCLUSION: The serum IL-2Ralpha level might be a good predictor of lymph node metastasis in undifferentiated early gastric cancer.
Biomarkers ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Stomach Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-5 (IL-5) is responsible for eosinophilia in allergic diseases. In allergic bronchial asthma, there is a correlation between the extent of eosinophil infiltration in bronchial mucosa and IL-5 concentrations. In addition, IL-2 concentration is elevated in the airways and associated with eosinophilia in symptomatic patients with bronchial asthma. In animal studies, IL-2 can induce eosinophilia by increasing the synthesis of IL-5, however, it is still unknown how IL-2 can induce eosinophila in human being. The aim of this study is to evaluation the effect and mechanism of IL-2 on prolongation of eosinophil survival. METHODS: After purifiing the eosinophils from the venous blood of allergic patients with eosinophilia, we measured the survival rates of eosinophils using trypan blue dye exclusion test, and the number of eosinophils with Randolp's solution. We compared the survival rates of eosinophils in the presence of IL-2 or IL-5. Neutralizing antibody for IL-5 was added in IL-2 treated eosinophils to reveal whether IL-2 induced prolongation of eosinophil survival was mediated by IL-5. We checked IL-5 m-RNA expression of lymphocytes in the presence of IL-2 by using Reverse transcription-Polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method to revealed the effect of IL-2 on IL-5 m-RNA expression on lymphocyte. alpha and beta IL-2 receptors were measured on eosinophils and lymphocytes with flow-cytometer after stimulated with IL-2. RESULTS: 1) Eosinophil survival rates increased dose dependently on IL-5 and IL-2. 2) The eosinophil survival rates increased by IL-2 were not inhibited by the pretreatment with neutralizing antibody for IL-5. 3) IL-5 m-RNA was not expressed on lymphocytes by the treatment with IL-2 up to 96 hours. 4) IL-2 upregulate the expression of IL-2Ralpha on eosinophils, instead of no effect on the expression of IL-2Rbeta. CONCLUSION: Interleukin-2 had the enhancing effect on the survival rates of eosinophils. The mechanism behind IL-2 induced eosinophilia might be the increment of IL-2 receptors on eosinophils rather than IL-5 synthesis by lymphocytes.
Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Asthma ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; Interleukin-5 ; Lymphocytes ; Mucous Membrane ; Receptors, Interleukin-2 ; Survival Rate ; Trypan Blue

CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; Sequence Analysis

OBJECTIVEAge-related increment of the prevalence of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells were described controversially, and whether such changes explain immune dysfunction in the elderly is still unclear. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the role of the Tregs in immunosenescence.

METHODSMedline and manual searches were performed to identify all published epidemiological and animal studies investigating the efficacy of the association between immunosenescence and Treg cells.

RESULTSIt was founded that the frequency, phenotypic characteristics, and number/function of Tregs were altered significantly with aging. Medical conditions in individuals with advanced ageas well as apoptosis intensity of Treg cells had an impact on the accumulation of Tregs which in turn could deteriorate cytotoxic activity of CD8(+) T and NK cells and production of IL-2. The range of immune cells that could be suppressed by Treg cells was quite wide and covered CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells, NK cells, dendritic cells and even monocytes. These changes were observed both in humans and experimental animals. Besides, it was believed that frequency of Tregs increased with age and was accompanied by intensified suppressive activity for Tregs in patients, for example, with Alzheimer disease (AD) and Parkinson disease (PD). The impaired condition of CD4(+) T cells, so-called immunosenescence, rendered transplant recipients less responsive to an allogeneic kidney graft, an effect that was limited to transplant recipients who were aged over 60 years.

CONCLUSIONSTreg cells are associated with immunosenescence. All these changes contribute to the aging-related decline of immune responses and lead to the higher risk of immune-mediated diseases, cancer or infections in aged individuals.

Aging ; immunology ; Animals ; CD4 Antigens ; immunology ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology