Interleukin-2 Therapy in Patients with HIV Infection

In patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), an increase in the CD4+ cell count through control of the HIV virus with antiretroviral therapy has emerged as an important surrogate marker of improved health. In two prospective, randomized studies, the addition of interleukin-2 to antiretroviral therapy to increase the CD4+ cell count was not associated with clinical benefit. In two prospective, randomized studies, the addition of interleukin-2 to antiretroviral therapy to increase the CD4+ cell count was not associated with clinical benefit. The CD4+ cell count remains the best single indicator of immunodeficiency related to infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is an important determinant of clinical events defining the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and other serious diseases. 1 , 2 Interleukin-2 is a cytokine secreted by activated T cells that regulates the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of T cells. Early studies showed that Escherichia coli –expressed recombinant interleukin-2, given intravenously or subcutaneously in combination with antiretroviral therapy, increased the CD4+ cell count significantly as compared with antiretroviral therapy alone. 3 – 11 The cell expansions occur because of an increase in CD4+ T-cell . . .