[Clinical value of interleukin 1- and interleukin 2-determinations in patients after kidney transplantation].

In a retrospective study of allograft rejections in renal transplant recipients we examined the value of cytokine production monitoring. Interleukin 1 (IL 1) and interleukin 2 (IL 2) activities were determined in supernatants of mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes in 8 renal transplant recipients serially for a period up to 60 days after transplantation. LPS-induced IL 1 as well as PHA-induced IL 2 production in patients after renal transplantation were significantly decreased in comparison to healthy controls. Seven episodes of cellular rejection were diagnosed in renal allograft recipients during this time, only 4 rejection episodes, however, were associated with a rise in the IL 1 and simultaneous IL 2 production occurred for 2 up to 3 days before the diagnosis of rejection. Moreover there were 12 instances in which an elevation of IL 1 and IL 2 production was found independently from the rejection. In 8 cases the augmentation of IL 1 and IL 2 production could be associated with clinical infections. We conclude from these results that a cytokine monitoring for the diagnosis of allograft rejection does not seem to be useful.