title: The role of interleukin-2 during homeostasis and activation of the immune system.
abstract: Interleukin-2 (IL-2) signals influence various lymphocyte subsets during differentiation, immune responses and homeostasis. As discussed in this Review, stimulation with IL-2 is crucial for the maintenance of regulatory T (T(Reg)) cells and for the differentiation of CD4(+) T cells into defined effector T cell subsets following antigen-mediated activation. For CD8(+) T cells, IL-2 signals optimize both effector T cell generation and differentiation into memory cells. IL-2 is presented in soluble form or bound to dendritic cells and the extracellular matrix. Use of IL-2 - either alone or in complex with particular neutralizing IL-2-specific antibodies - can amplify CD8(+) T cell responses or induce the expansion of the T(Reg) cell population, thus favouring either immune stimulation or suppression.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Applied Immunobiology, University of Zurich, Gloriastrasse 30, CH-8006 Zurich, Switzerland. onur.boyman@uzh.ch
authors.forename: Onur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Boyman
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sprent
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000276:immunology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2