Interleukin 2 (IL-2) is a pleiotropic cytokine produced primarily by mitogen- or antigen-activated T lymphocytes (1, 2). Human IL-2 (also known as T-cell growth factor) is produced by T-cells in response to antigenic or mitogenic stimulation. IL-2 is a potent lymphoid cell growth factor which exerts its biological activity primarily on T cells promoting proliferation and maturation.
IL-2 has been found to stimulate growth and differentiation of B cells, NK cells, LAK cells, monocytes, and oligodendocytes. IL-2 is involved in treatment of cancers such as melanoma and renal cell cancer. It plays a key role in promoting the clonal expansion of antigen-specific T cells. In addition, IL-2 has also been shown to mediate multiple immune responses on a variety of cell types.
At the amino acid sequence level, there is approximately 72% similarity between mature porcine and human IL-2.
The biological effects of IL-2 are mediated by specific cell surface receptor complexes. The functional high-affinity receptor for IL-2 is composed of three distinct polypeptide chains (3, 4).
IL-2 stimulates the proliferation of thymocytes; stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of activated B cells; promotes the growth, differentiation and cytocidal activity of monocytes; induces the growth of natural killer cells and stimulates cytokine production by these cells as well as the cytolytic activity of these cells; enhances the production of lymphocyte-activated killer (LAK) cells; and induces the proliferation and differentiation of oligodendrocytes (1, 2).
Goldsmith, M.A. and W.C. Greene (1994) in The Cytokine Handbook, 2nd ed.,
Thomson, A. ed., Academic Press, New York, p. 57.
Kashima, N. et al. (1985) Nature 313:401.
Seigel, L.J. et al. (1984) Science 223:175.
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