Interleukin-2R gene expression was evaluated in peripheral blood T lymphocytes of patients with gastric carcinoma and normal healthy controls. The presence of mRNA for IL-2R alpha evaluated by Northern blot analysis revealed that unstimulated T cells expressed lower levels of IL-2R mRNA than PHA stimulated T cells. Expression of both IL-2R alpha transcripts (3.5 and 1.5 kb) were either not detectable or only weakly detectable on T lymphocytes from patients even after mitogenic stimulation. In contrast, a significant rise in the expression of both IL-2R alpha transcripts was observed on T cells from normal controls followed by mitogenic challenge. Enhanced expression of both IL-2R transcripts was also detected in a follow-up study of the patients, conducted one month following initial trial. of chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5 Fu). Patients post chemotherapy were better responders of PHA stimulation as reflected by enhanced IL-2R gene expression following mitogenic challenge.

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