Interleukin receptors in lymphoid lesions. Relevance to diagnosis, biology, and therapy.

Interleukin 2 and its receptor have emerged as a central control system in the regulation of the immune response and the proliferation of T cells, B cells, and macrophage. IL-2 receptor expression is strongly associated with several forms of human lymphoproliferative disease including adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma, hairy cell leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, and peripheral T-cell lymphoma in which it may play a pathogenetic role. IL-2 receptor expression may also play a role in some B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and histiocytic proliferations. Recent discoveries in immunology and advances in biotechnology have opened therapeutic possibilities for IL-2 including the use of anti-Tac monoclonal antibodies and immunoconjugates for the therapy of Tac-positive lymphoproliferative disease, the use of anti-Tac monoclonal antibodies as novel immunosuppressants, and the use of genetically engineered recombinant IL-2 and activated autologous lymphocytes in the adoptive immunotherapy of cancer. Therapeutic and diagnostic applications of IL-2 continue to be defined.