Increased production of interleukin-2 and IL-2 receptor in primary IgA nephropathy

The production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in 13 patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and 9 patients with chronic glomerulonephritis was investigated. Moreover, the distribution of IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) expression was studied in the purified T cell population versus the non-T cell population of IgAN patients. The results show a spontaneous significant production of IL-2 in cultures of PBMC from patients with IgAN (P less than 0.025) that increased after PHA stimulation. IgAN patients also had a significantly higher expression of IL-2R on the surface of PBMC than did patients with chronic glomerulonephritis (P less than 0.05). IL-2R was usually detected on unstimulated purified T cells that expressed the activation DR antigen. Moreover, a high number of DR helper T cells was associated to a reduced number of suppressor T cells (OKT8+M1+). These findings suggest that the increased production of IL-2 in patients with IgAN may be responsible for the increased activity of helper T cells. The high number of IL-2R expressed by freshly separated PBMC implies an in vivo continuous stimulation of these cells, and this finding is in agreement with the demonstrated spontaneous hyperproduction of IL-2. Moreover, the low number of suppressor T cells may contribute to the overactivity of helper T cells bearing IL-2R in IgAN patients.