Interleukin-2: Old and New Approaches to Enhance Immune-Therapeutic Efficacy.

Interleukin-2: Old and New Approaches to Enhance Immune-Therapeutic Efficacy. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2017;995:33-51 Authors: Dhupkar P, Gordon N Abstract Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a very well-known cytokine that has been studied for the past 35 years. It plays a major role in the growth and proliferation of many immune cells such NK and T cells. It is an important immunotherapy cytokine for the treatment of various diseases including cancer. Systemic delivery of IL-2 has shown clinical benefit in renal cell carcinoma and melanoma patients. However, its use has been limited by the numerous toxicities encountered with the systemic delivery. Intravenous IL-2 causes the well-known "capillary leak syndrome," or the leakage of fluid from the circulatory system to the interstitial space resulting in hypotension (low blood pressure), edema, and dyspnea that can lead to circulatory shock and eventually cardiopulmonary collapse and multiple organ failure. Due to the toxicities associated with systemic IL-2, an aerosolized delivery approach has been developed, which enables localized delivery and a higher local immune cell activation. Since proteins are absorbed via pulmonary lymphatics, after aerosol deposition in the lung, aerosol delivery provides a means to more specifically target IL-2 to the local immune system in the lungs with less systemic effects. Its benefits have extended to diseases other than cancer. Delivery of IL-2 via aerosol or as ne...
Source: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology - Category: Research Tags: Adv Exp Med Biol Source Type: research