Evidence of mononuclear cell activation by hemodialysis.

The acute effects of hemodialysis (HD) on activation and function of mononuclear cells (MC) were studied in a model of in vitro HD. During the HD session, both cuprophan (CU) and polysulfone (PS) induced transcription of interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) mRNA. Expression of IL-2R on the cytoplasmic membrane, and release of soluble IL-2R (sIL-2R), however, did not change during HD, nor did responsiveness to IL-2. Polysulfone caused a slight reduction of the proliferative response to phypohemagglutinin, and of the release of sIL-2R. Hemodialysis did not induce IL-2 production, but induced IL-1 synthesis.