Elevated Levels of Soluble Interleukin 2 Receptors in Schizophrenia

To the Editor — Immunologic factors have been implicated in both the cause Levels of soluble interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor in the serum of schizophrenic patients and healthy controls. Soluble IL-2 receptors were measured by a sandwich enzymelinked immunosorbent assay as previously described.7Each point represents the value for one subject; 1 U is approximately 3 pg of soluble IL-2 receptor. Schizophrenic patients (N = 30) were diagnosed usingDSMIIIand Research Diagnostic Criteria. The horizontal line indicates 2 SDs above the mean value for healthy controls; asterisk,P<.001 compared with controls (N =13) by Student's t test. and pathogenesis of schizophrenia, and alterations in immune measures, such as serum and cerebrospinal fluid immunoglobulin levels, circulating B and T lymphocytes, and the presence of anti—brain autoantibodies, have been reported by some but not all laboratories.1Problems in demonstrating consistent immunologic stigmata in schizophrenia may