الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract It has been long recognized that T-lymphocytes are essential in the immunity against tuberculosis (TB){Edwards and Kirkpatrick, 1986.}. The interaction of mycobacteria with alveolar macrophages leads to activation of T-lymphocytes . As a result, interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R)molecules are expressed on their cell surface{Cantrell and Smith ,1983 }and soluble IL- 2R (s IL-2R) molecules are released into the circulation {Rubin et al,1985} As this soluble receptor retains some of the biological activities of the cell-associated IL-2R molecule , including its capacity to bind IL-2 efficiently { Rubin et al,1986 }, It is possible that s IL-2R could play a regulatory role in the immune response . Although the exact immunological role of s IL-2R is not well-established ,it may serve as a marker of disease activity in patient with pulmonary tuberculosis {Chan et al,1993} |