Crescentic IgA glomerulonephritis following interleukin-2 therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma of the liver.

A patient who developed crescentic IgA nephropathy following treatment with recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL2) and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma was reported. Cessation of rIL2 and LAK cell treatment plus plasmapheresis and steroid therapy was successful in achieving partial improvement and stabilization of renal function. This is the first case report of biopsy-documented glomerulonephritis developing after IL2 and LAK cell therapy. This provides indirect in vivo evidence for the role of IL2 in mediating glomerular injury in IgA nephropathy.