title: Interleukin 2 therapy in infectious diseases: rationale and prospects.
abstract: Clinical trials using interleukin 2 as a therapeutic immunomodulating agent in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome have recently begun. In this article we present data from studies which indicate the ability of interleukin 2 in vitro to augment clinically important cytotoxic immune responses in lymphocytes from these patients. These studies provide both a rationale for the current trials and a model for evaluating the potential for use of interleukin 2 in other infectious diseases. We outline the types of infectious diseases in which interleukin 2 may prove to be useful and the therapeutic strategies in which it may play a role.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2