DETERMINATION OF THE INTERLEUKIN-2 RECEPTOR-BETA CHAIN BY PERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONONUCLEAR-CELLS IN PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY BILIARY-CIRRHOSIS

Interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) beta chain expression was assessed in p eripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by flow cytometry using an I L-2R beta chain-specific mouse monoclonal antibody in 23 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and 20 normal controls. The percentag es of IL-2R beta chain positive cells in PBMCs were significantly decr eased in PBC patients compared with those of normal controls (P < 0.01 ). IL-2R beta chain expression showed no difference between patients w ith asymptomatic and symptomatic PBC, or among the stages of a histolo gical grading by Scheuer's classification. The IL-2R beta chain was ma inly expressed by CD 16 positive cells (natural killer cells) in PBC p atients as well as in normal controls. To study the biological signifi cance of the diminishment of the IL-2R beta chain in PBC patients, nat ural killer (NK) activity and lymphokine activated killer (LAK) activi ty was determined simultaneously in 12 PBC patients. A significant cor relation was observed between the percentage of IL-2R beta chain posit ive cells and NK activity (r = 0.778, P < 0.01) or LAK activity (r = 0 .736, P < 0.01). These findings suggest that the decreased expression of IL-2R beta chain is linked to diminished NK activity and LAK activi ty in PBC patients. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.