title: Perspective on potential clinical applications of recombinant human interleukin-7.
abstract: Interleukin-7 has critical and nonredundant roles in T cell development, hematopoiesis, and postdevelopmental immune functions as a prototypic homeostatic cytokine. Based on a large body of preclinical evidence, it may have multiple therapeutic applications in immunodeficiency states, either physiologic (immuno-senescence), pathologic (HIV) or iatrogenic (postchemotherapy and posthematopoietic stem cell transplant) and may have roles in immune reconstitution or enhancement of immunotherapy. Early clinical development trials in humans show that, within a short time, rhIL-7 administration results in a marked preferential expansion of both naive and memory CD4 and CD8 T cell pools with a tendency toward enhanced CD8 expansion. As a result, lymphopenic or normal older hosts develop an expanded circulating T cell pool with a profile that resembles that seen earlier in life with increased T cell repertoire diversity. These results, along with a favorable toxicity profile, open a wide perspective of potential future clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1104, USA.
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sportès
authors.forename: Ronald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Gress
authors.forename: Crystal L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Mackall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015851:Interleukin-7; D011994:Recombinant Proteins