The two faces of IL-2: a key driver of CD8(+) T-cell exhaustion

Abstract

The body undergoes abnormal, pathological immune responses when antigens are present at too great an excess for the immune system to handle or the body is persistently exposed to antigens. The etiology of many types of chronic diseases is partially related to such conditions; thus, understanding the pathophysiological processes of these chronic diseases is of paramount importance for therapeutic purposes. A recent paper published in Nature Immunology revealed the unexpected involvement of the T cell-activating cytokine interleukin (IL)-2 in counteracting the immune attack on tumors, a finding that will provide new options for cancer therapy.