title: IL-7 in human health and disease.
abstract: IL-7 plays many essential roles in human health and disease. Congenital deficiencies in IL-7 signaling result in profound immunodeficiency, polymorphisms in IL7Rα modulate susceptibility to autoimmune disease, and acquired somatic activating mutations in IL7Rα contribute to neoplastic transformation in B cell and T cell leukemia. In response to lymphopenia, IL-7 accumulates to supranormal levels, which alters T cell homeostasis by augmenting T cell reactivity toward self and cognate antigens. This physiologic response is now routinely exploited to improve the efficacy of adoptive cell therapies for cancer. Clinical trials of recombinant IL-7 have demonstrated safety and potent immunorestorative effects, and current studies are investigating whether rhIL-7 therapy can improve outcomes in chronic viral infection and in the context of cancer immunotherapies. Building upon the large fund of knowledge regarding the basic biology of IL-7, this review will discuss the many and varied roles of IL-7 in human health and disease.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States. lundstromwp@mail.nih.gov
authors.forename: Wangko
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lundström
authors.forename: Natasha M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Fewkes
authors.forename: Crystal L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Mackall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7 / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015851:Interleukin-7; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7