HEMORRHAGIC-FEVER WITH RENAL SYNDROME - RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PATHOGENESIS AND CELLULAR-IMMUNITY

After phenotype analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels in plasma or sera from patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) were measu red. The results showed the ratio of activated antigen (CD25, TLiSA1, CD71, and Ia)-positive lymphocytes of PBMC in the acute phase of HFRS was higher than that in convalescent phase. Moreover, there was much h igher expression of heteromorphologic lymphocytes than of small lympho cytes. Decreases in T lymphocytes and CD4:CD8 ratios were seen with in creases in B lymphocyte ratios and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) expres sion on PBMC surfaces in the acute phase of HFRS. IFN-gamma-positive l ymphocytes included CD4, CD8, and CD56 subsets. sIL-2R levels were muc h higher in sera and plasma in the acute phase, especially the oliguri c phase. These findings suggest that patients with HFRS are in a state of high-level cellular immune response, which may be involved in the development of inflammation and pathologic lesions.