IL-2 antibodies in type 1 diabetes and during IL-2 therapy

Excerpt

To the Editor: Natural autoantibodies (aAbs) targeting cytokines, chemokines and growth factors have been described in healthy individuals [1], usually at very low levels. It has been proposed that such aAbs may regulate cytokine homeostasis and function by different mechanisms [1]: (1) cytokine neutralisation, (2) as cytokine–aAb complexes, prolongation of the half-life of the cytokines, and (3) signalling via the Fc receptor. Numerous studies have reported highly inconsistent prevalence of anti-IL-2 aAbs in healthy individuals (from 0% to 100%) [2, 3] and in individuals with various diseases [2, 3]. There are as yet no reported clinical consequences associated with anti-IL-2 aAbs. Many studies have reported induction of anti-IL-2 aAbs in individuals receiving high-dose IL-2 (hd-IL-2), without evidence of a clinical impact [4]. …