Increased serum levels of interleukin-2 and soluble interleukin-2 receptor in celiac disease

IgA anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) were analyzed in serum from 28 children with symptoms of celiac disease and villous atrophy in at least their first small bowel biopsy. We also assayed IL-2 and sIL-2R in 45 healthy children and IgA anti-gliadin antibodies in 145 healthy children. The serum levels of IL-2, sIL-2R, and AGA were significantly increased in celiac patients. The increase of IL-2 and sIL-2R levels suggests indirectly T-cell activation in these patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to compare the diagnostic performances of the three parameters. Such an analysis revealed that only AGA was useful to discriminate between patients with a gluten-free diet (second biopsy negative) and patients receiving a gluten-containing diet (third biopsy positive).