Elevated serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels in subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus

Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) is a subset of lupus erythematosus which is characterized by unique cutaneous manifestations and immunological abnormalities. Soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2 R) is the shed product of membrane Il-2 R, a product of T cell activation. It is measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and has been found to correlate well with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. The objective of the present work was to determine whether there is a correlation between sIL-2 R levels and disease activity in SCLE. Serum samples were obtained from 25 SCLE patients and then measured for sIL-2 R levels of ELISA. Fifteen of 25 SCLE patients tested had normal levels of sIL-2 R, while 10 of 25 SCLE patients had elevated sIL-2 R levels. The serum sIL-2 R level in SCLE patients correlated well with disease activity and the number of American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE. These findings indicate that sIL-2 R levels can be used as a valuable laboratory parameter in managing SCLE patients.