Recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2) promotes T cell line-mediated neuroautoimmune disease

Autoimmunity is dependent on a delicate balance of cellular interactions preventing activation of autoaggressive T cells. Possible side effects of therapeutically injected recombinant interleukins on latent or overt autoimmune disease are uncertain. Using a T cell transfer model of autoimmune central nervous system (CNS) disease, we investigated the in vivo effect of recombinant IL-2. We observed that recombinant IL-2 strongly promotes autoimmune disease.