Low-dose interleukin-2 treatment selectively modulates CD4+ T cell subsets in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Low-dose IL-2 treatment alters the abundance of regulatory T cells, IL-17-producing T cells and follicular helper T cells, but not of T helper type 1 and 2 cells, in patients with SLE. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a potentially life-threatening autoimmune disease characterized by altered balance of activity between effector and regulatory CD4 + T cells. The homeostasis of CD4 + T cell subsets is regulated by interleukin (IL)-2, and reduced production of IL-2 by T cells is observed in individuals with SLE. Here we report that treatment with low-dose recombinant human IL-2 selectively modulated the abundance of regulatory T (T reg ) cells, follicular helper T (T FH ) cells and IL-17-producing helper T (T H 17) cells, but not T H 1 or T H 2 cells, accompanied by marked reductions of disease activity in patients with SLE.