The immunological effects of interleukin 2 therapy in HIV+ patients.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection produces a profound impairment of immune functions that antiretroviral therapy is unable to restore. Because of its immuno-enhancing properties, interleukin 2 (IL-2) has been used as a therapeutic tool in HIV+ subjects. IL-2 produces an increase of CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte absolute counts that is preferentially due to the expansion of the "naive" cells. In addition, IL-2 increases cytokine production from the cells of the immune system and is able to up-regulate the expression of cytokine receptors, such as the chemokine receptors CCR-5 and CXCR-4. Less informations on the IL-2 activity on the CD8 subset are available at the moment. The advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy has changed this scenario, making the IL-2 effects less clear-cut than previously hypothesized. We suggest that the ongoing studies will define the precise role of IL-2 in the therapy of HIV infection.
De Paoli
P
P
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Virology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, IRCCS, Aviano, Italy. pdepaoli@ets.it
D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets
D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine