Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) is associated with dysfunction of immuno–inflammatory
response manifested by imbalanced production of pro- and anti-inflammatory
cytokines as well as decreased Th1/Th2ratio. In the present work, the effect of
interleukin 2 (IL-2) [as the main Th cell activator] on the production of interleukin-10
(IL-10) [as a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine] by Peripheral Blood Mononuclear
Cells (PBMCs) in CRF patients was studied. The study was conducted on a group of
20 patients with CRF and 10 sex and age matched normal healthy individuals as a
group of control. For both groups, the levels of IL-10 were measured in IL-2-supplemented and non-supplemented cell culture supernatants of PBMCs. The
obtained results were correlated with serum levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)
as a marker of CRF associated inflammatory state. Results of the work revealed that
IL-10 levels were significantly higher in both IL-2 supplemented (P=0.000) and non
supplemented (P=0.000) PBMCs supernatants of CRF group when compared to
normal one. This finding reflects the low grade systemic inflammation associated with
CRF that is confirmed by significantly elevated HGF serum mean level (P=0.001) in
CRF patients than normal subjects in the present study. These results have
demonstrated that IL-2 may play a protective role in CRF patients through correction
of Th1/Th2ratio and keeping the balance between pro-and anti-inflammatory
cytokines in those patients