title: Beyond regulatory T cells: the potential role for IL-2 to deplete T-follicular helper cells and treat autoimmune diseases.
abstract: Low-dose IL-2 administration suppresses unwanted immune responses in mice and humans, thus evidencing the potential of IL-2 to treat autoimmune disorders. Increased Tregs activity is one of the potential mechanisms by which low-dose IL-2 immunotherapy induces immunosuppression. In addition, recent data indicate that IL-2 may contribute to prevent unwanted self-reactive responses by preventing the developing of T-follicular helper cells, a CD4(+) T-cell subset that expands in autoimmune disease patients and promotes long-term effector B-cell responses. Here we discuss the mechanisms underlying the clinical benefits of low-dose IL-2 administration, focusing on the role of this cytokine in promoting Treg-mediated suppression and preventing self-reactive T-follicular helper cell responses.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ballesteros-Tato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D051379:Mice; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2
keywords: IL-2; T follicular helper cells; Tregs; autoimmune disease; germinal center B cells; immunotherapy