Lithium In Vitro Enhances Interleukin-2 Production by T Cells from Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract

Cellular immunity is impaired in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A decreased production of interleukin-2 by T cells isolated from blood of patients with SLE was found. the decrease correlated with severity of the disease. It was shown that incubation in vitro of T cells with 5 mM of lithium chloride augmented interleukin-2 production. the increase in cultures of T cells from patients with SLE was higher that than in healthy individuals. It is belived that lithium increases the cytosol inositol triphosphate level and subsequently augmented impaired itra-cellular signal transduction in the T cells from patients with SLE.