Evaluation of the IL-2/IL-2R system in patients with liver cirrhosis or carcinoma

AIM: To evaluate the interleukin-2/interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2/IL-2R) system in patients with liver cirrhosis or carcinoma, and compare the immune function in those patients. The clinical significance of our results is also discussed.METHODS: Fifty patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), 50 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and 30 normal control subjects were studied. Cellular expression of the interleukin-2 receptor (mIL-2R) was examined by immunofluorescence, and the serum levels of IL-2 and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) were measured by ELISA.RESULTS: The levels of IL-2 and mIL-2R expression in carcinoma patients were significantly lower than those in both patients with cirrhosis (P < 0.01) and control subjects (P < 0.01). The serum levels of IL-2 and the expression of mIL-2R in patients with cirrhosis were also lower than those in normal control subjects (P < 0.05). The serum levels of sIL-2R in carcinoma patients were significantly higher than those in both cirrhosis patients (P < 0.05) and control subjects (P < 0.01), and the sIL-2R levels in cirrhosis patients were higher than those in control subjects (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: Patients with liver cirrhosis or carcinoma both have decreased immune function; however, this decrease is more pronounced in carcinoma patients. Such similarities in immune disturbances may be an important factor affecting the development of carcinoma in a cirrhotic liver.