Abstract
Studies in man have suggested that interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-producing T cells are important in herpes simplex disease recurrences. These have led to the use of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in a guinea pig model of herpes simplex genital infection. Here, that lymphokine lessens the severity of acute and chronic herpes simplex disease and it also produces an adjuvant action on the protective effect of herpes simplex virus (HSV) subunit vaccines. A variety of potentially useful actions of IL-2 might underly these effects, including increased lymphokine release and enhanced cytotoxic actions of natural killer, lymphokine-activated killer cells, or histocompatibility antigen restricted T cells. IL-2 appears to be involved in the mobilization of IFN-γ-producing T lymphocytes, which may mediate the enhancement of the previously mentioned immune functions. It seems appropriate to explore these effects of IL-2 in human viral disease. Since the systemic use of IFN-γ is limited by side effects, IL-2 may be an important mechanism for physiologic delivery of IFN-γ to local sites.
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