Overview of interleukin-2 function, production and clinical applications.
The existence of interleukin (IL)-2 has been recognized for over 25 years, and it remains one of the most extensively studied cytokines. Here we present a broad overview of IL-2 history, functional activities, biological sources, regulation and applications to disease treatment. IL-2 exerts a wide spectrum of effects on the immune system, and it plays crucial roles in regulating both immune activation and homeostasis. Both IL-2 and its multipartite receptor are prototypical of the Type I receptor superfamily, and both have been exploited in numerous ways in the clinic. Despite the wealth of information generated about IL-2 from in vitro culture systems, in vivo mouse knockout models, and clinical trials in humans, fascinating new aspects of its functions in the immune system continue to emerge.
University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Department of Oral Biology and Department of Microbiology, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA. sgaffen@buffalo.edu
Sarah L
SL
Gaffen
Kathleen D
KD
Liu
D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction
D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2