Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a O-glycosylated four alpha -helix bundle cytokine that has potent stimulatory activity for antigen-activated T cells. It is expressed by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, gamma δ T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, and eosinophils [1-3]. Mature mouse IL-2 shares 56% and 73% aa sequence identity with human and rat IL-2, respectively. It shows strain-specific heterogeneity in an N-terminal region that contains a poly-glutamine stretch [4]. Mouse and human IL-2 exhibit cross-species activity [5]. The receptor for IL-2 consists of three subunits that are present on the cell surface in varying preformed complexes [6-8]. The 55 kDa IL-2 R alpha is specific for IL-2 and binds with low affinity. The 75 kDa IL-2 R beta, which is also a component of the IL-15 receptor, binds IL-2 with intermediate affinity. The 64 kDa common gamma chain gamma c/IL-2 R gamma, which is shared with the receptors for IL-4, -7, -9, -15, and -21, does not independently interact with IL-2. Upon ligand binding, signal transduction is performed by both IL-2 R beta and gamma c. IL-2 is best known for its autocrine and paracrine activity on T cells. It drives resting T cells to proliferate and induces IL-2 and IL-2 R alpha synthesis [1, 2]. It contributes to T cell homeostasis by promoting the Fas-induced death of native CD4+ T cells but not activated CD4+ memory lymphocytes [9]. IL-2 plays a central role in the expansion and maintenance of regulatory T cells, although it inhibits the development of Th17 polarized cells [10-12]. Thus, IL-2 may be a key cytokine in the natural suppression of autoimmunity [13, 14].
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