Open AccessIL‐2 infusion abrogates humoral immune responses in humans
Author(s) -
GOTTLIEB D. J.,
PRENTICE H. G.,
HESLOP H. E.,
BELLO C.,
BRENNER M. K.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1992.tb03025.x
Subject(s) - immunology , immune system , immunosuppression , antibody , humoral immunity , biology , antigen , homeostasis , medicine , endocrinology
SUMMARY Although IL‐2 infusion enhances cell‐mediated cytotoxicity in patients with neoplastic disease, administration is paradoxically associated with a modest fall in total scrum IgG and an increased risk of infection. We now show that the adverse effects of IL‐2 infusion on the humoral immune system are substantial. Although IL‐2 induces the B cell growth and differentiating factors IL‐4 and IL‐6, infusion abrogates primary antibody responses entirely and reduces secondary antibody responses 50‐fold following antigen challenge. There is no evidence of the generation of cells with suppressive activity on B cells but IL‐2 increases the ratio of circulating virgin: memory cells. These results may help to explain the increased rate of bacterial infection in patients receiving IL‐2. As IL‐2 plays a central role in the generation of an immune response, the finding that it is also sufficiently immunosuppreshsive to inhibit primary‐ and secondary‐type antibody responses suggests that exploration of the underlying mechanisms may provide insights into immune system homeostasis and may offer new approaches to therapeutic immunosupprcssion.