Elevated plasma levels of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist are associatedwith decreased cellular BCL-2 oncoprotein expression in B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Plasma IL-1Ra levels and cellular BCL-2 oncoprotein expression were measure d in a total of forty blood samples obtained from twenty-eight B-CLL patien ts and four healthy subjects. High IL-1Ra plasma levels (as defined by mean + three times standard deviation of normal controls) were observed in elev en samples (ten patients) which showed a significantly decreased cellular e xpression of BCL-2 protein (14.7 +/- 63% of cells as determined by immunofl uorescence) when compared to B-CLL samples with no elevated IL-1Ra (BCL-2, 31.0 +/- 18.6%; p less than or equal to 0.0115). Albeit correlational only, our results may encourage further experiments to elucidate potential regul atory effects of IL-1Ra for cellular BCL-2 oncoprotein expression.