Interleukin-12: a cytokine with therapeutic potential in oncology and infectious diseases.
IL-12 is a cytokine that promotes cell-mediated immunity by promoting Th1-type cytokine responses, enhancing the lytic activity of NK/LAK cells, augmenting specific CTL responses, and inducing the production of IFN-gamma. On the other hand, IL-12 suppresses the development of Th2-type cytokine responses and humoral immunity, particularly IgGl and IgE responses. It is likely that IL-12 normally plays an important role in the host defense against intracellular microbial pathogens. In addition, the administration of rIL-12 to mice has been shown to have potent therapeutic effects in several tumour and infectious disease models. IL-12 has been shown to be more efficacious than IL-2 in several murine tumour models, and toxicology studies suggest that it may have a substantially better therapeutic index. In addition, the long serum half-life of IL-12 relative to other cytokines will allow more flexibility in dosing schedules. However, future clinical trials are required to determine whether the efficacy of IL-12 seen in these experimental models is predictive for its use as an immunomodulatory drug in humans.
Gately
M K
MK
Department of Inflammation/Autoimmune Diseases, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., Nutley, NJ 07110, USA.
Gubler
U
U
Brunda
M J
MJ
Nadeau
R R
RR
Anderson
T D
TD
Lipman
J M
JM
Sarmiento
U
U
D000818:Animals; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007167:Immunotherapy; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000502:physiology* / Q000633:toxicity; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000628:therapy; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000502:physiology*; D053707:Receptors, Interleukin-12; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology
D016207:Cytokines; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D053707:Receptors, Interleukin-12; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018664:Interleukin-12