Interleukin-2 and autoimmune disease occurrence and therapy.

X Geng, R Zhang, G Yang, W Jiang, C Xu

College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China.

European review for medical and pharmacological sciences 2012 Oct

filter terms:

Interleukin-2(IL-2), also called T-cell growth factor and primarily produced by antigen-activated T cells, is a kind of lymphoid factor with immunoregulatory effect which can promote T-cell-dependent immune responses. IL-2 was first used as a therapeutic approach to boost immune responses in patients with invasive cancer or advanced HIV disease. The purpose of the review is to refer the mechanism of autoimmune disease caused by IL-2 deletion and the application of IL-2 in curing autoimmune disease. IL-2 signal plays a key role in promoting the development, homeostasis and the function of the regulatory T cells. The deletion of IL-2 in vivo causes T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. Now it is being considered as a kind of medicine inhibiting immune responses. Further studies with controlled clinical trials will be needed to prove the potential of IL-2 as a therapeutic strategy for autoimmune diseases. The decreased production of IL-2 in patients with autoimmune disease leads to immune defects, such as decreased production of Treg cells, decreased AICD and cytotoxicity. Combination therapy based on IL-2 may prove to be beneficial in curing the immunological disorders.

Citation

X Geng, R Zhang, G Yang, W Jiang, C Xu. Interleukin-2 and autoimmune disease occurrence and therapy. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences. 2012 Oct;16(11):1462-7