Low-dose interleukin-2 induces systemic immune responses against HBsAg in immunodeficient non-responders to hepatitis B vaccination.

A metabolic monocyte defect appears to correlate with non-responsiveness to hepatitis B vaccine in many patients on haemodialysis. This defect prevents production of interleukin-2 during T-cell activation after antigen contact. Receptors for interleukin-2 are, however, expressed in greater numbers than in healthy subjects or uraemic responders to hepatitis B vaccination. In this study, ten uraemic patients, previous non-responders to vaccination against hepatitis B, were revaccinated with the same vaccine combined with one intramuscular injection (2.5 x 10(5) U) of natural human interleukin-2. Systemic production of antibodies against hepatitis B surface antigen was initiated in those immunodeficient patients whose cellular interleukin-2 receptor levels were found to be enhanced.