T-cell alterations in immunoglobulin A nephropathy.

In the present paper are reported alterations of the cellular immunity found in 24 patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). CD4+ and CD25+ cells were increased in patients in comparison with controls. The mean of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) levels in sera were similar in patients and controls, but the levels of IL-2 in supernatants of stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients were higher than those of controls. There were no correlations between renal function, serum IgA levels, urinary findings, cellular subsets, and IL-2 or IL-4 sera levels. These immunological data were also unrelated to the mode of clinical presentation. The results suggest a pivotal role of IL-2 in cellular immune response with regard to T-cell activation in patients with IgAN.