Soluble interleukin-2 receptors in the serum of patients with chronic renal failure.

The levels of soluble form of the interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) were evaluated in the peripheral blood of 29 patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All patients had undergone hemodialysis and the mean (+/- S.D.) BUN was before hemodialysis was 80.9 +/- 22.4 mg/100 ml. The mean level of sIL-2R was 1146 +/- 258 U/ml, which was significantly higher than the level (288 +/- 118 U/ml) in 12 individuals with a normal BUN level (p = 0.01). In patients with CRF, the elevated sIL-2R level was not influenced by hemodialysis, and not correlated with creatinine or beta 2-microglobulin levels. The kidneys may play an important role in the catabolism of serum sIL-2R. The elevated sIL-2R level may be related to compromised immunoregulation in CRF.