Development of Interleukin-2 'Superkines' for Cancer Immunotherapy

摘要

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a potent T-cell proliferation factor used for cancer immunotherapy of renal cell carcinoma and metastatic melanoma. In addition to the activation of cytotoxic T-cells, administration of IL-2 causes severe side effects and the unwanted activation of regulatory T-cells. It has been demonstrated that the activation of cytotoxic T-cells and therapeutic effects of IL-2 are largely mediated by binding to the intermediate affinity IL-2 receptor (CD 122), whereas the activation of regulatory T-cells is mediated by binding to the high affinity IL-2 receptor (CD25).