TAKAMATSU, T., YASUDA, N., OHNO, T., KANOH, T., UCHINO, H. and FUJISAWA, A. Soluble Interleukin-2 Receptors in the Serum of Patients with Chronic Renal Failure. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1988, 155 (4), 343-347 - 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 level before hemodialysis was 80.9±22.4mg/100ml. The mean level of sIL-2R was 1146±258U/ml, which was significantly higher than the level (288±118U/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 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.