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.
Gaffen
Sarah L
SL
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
Liu
Kathleen D
KD
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