Interleukin-2: Features, Production, Biological functions, Medical uses, side effects

Interleukin-2: Features, Production, Biological functions, Medical uses, side effects

Interleukin-2: Features, Production, Biological functions, Medical uses, side effects

Interleukin-2: Features, Production, Biological functions, Medical uses, side effects

Features:

It is a single chain polypeptide containing 133 amino acids. It is a T cell growth factor playing role in immune response and produced by T lymphocytes.

Central molecular switch - The IL-2 receptor is associated with a number of cell types.

Binding of IL-2 to its receptor induces growth and differentiation of these cells.

IL-2 behaves as a central molecular switch activating most aspects of immune response.

IL-2 production:

It is done by rDNA technologies.

The IL-2 gene or cDNA has been expressed in a wide variety of host systems, it was initially expressed in E. coli.

Now  IL-2 is produced in engineered E. coli and differs from native human  IL-2 and it is non-glycosylated lacking N-terminal alanine residue and cysteine 125 is replaced by a serine residue.

After extraction and chromatographic purification, the product is formulated in a phosphate buffer containing mannitol and low levels of the detergent SDS.

Biological functions of IL-2:

1. Growth factor for T cells and also for B cells.

2. Enhances antibody production and secretion and potentiates humoral immune response.

3. Promotes the differentiation and growth of natural killer cells.

4. Enhances the  immune response to a  number of clinical conditions.

For examples,

a. Cancers - T cells play role in inducing direct destruction of cancer cells  those are transformed by viral infections.

Natural killer cells are capable of lysing cancer cells and activated macrophages destroy tumor cells.

b. T cell and other forms of immunodeficiency.

c. Infectious diseases are caused by the pathogens surviving inside host cells for example Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae.

5. Induction of interferon gamma production.

Medical uses:

1. Cancer treatment

2. Metastatic melanoma

3. Acute myelogenous leukemia

4. Metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Side effects:

Cardiovascular, hepatic or pulmonary complications,  Flu-like symptoms, weakness.

The Daily Youth- tdy24.com Presents

"Interleukin-2: Features, Production, Biological functions, Medical uses, side effects"

Written By

Sadia Akhtar

Student of Department of Microbiology

Jagannath University.

Email- sadiabd810@yahoo.com