title: Promoting immunity during chronic infection--the therapeutic potential of common gamma-chain cytokines.
abstract: The continued global burden wrought by chronic infectious disease is unrelenting. Current therapies have curbed the severity of disease for patients, but Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B (HBV) infection remain incurable and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is rapidly becoming resistant to our existing antibiotics. Much attention has been given to enhancing T cell immunity through the use of certain common gamma-chain cytokines, which have proven to be essential and necessary for T cell survival and function. This article reviews the pre-clinical and clinical literature surrounding IL-2, IL-7, IL-15 and IL-21 and we comment on the potential therapeutic promise of these cytokines as adjuvant treatments for chronic infectious diseases.
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Jesse G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Toe
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.forename: Tak Wah
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Mak
mesh_terms: D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D053631:Interleukin Receptor Common gamma Subunit / Q000276:immunology; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D000098546:Interleukin-21
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D053631:Interleukin Receptor Common gamma Subunit; D019409:Interleukin-15; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015851:Interleukin-7; D007378:Interleukins; D000098546:Interleukin-21