TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATION OF INTERLEKIN 2 IN SLE T CELLS

Abstract

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a central cytokine required for the activation of T, B, and NK cells. It propagates the immune response and terminates it by promoting the activation induced cell death of T cells. IL-2 production is altered in T cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The consequence of reduced IL-2 production in SLE is decreased immune response to infectious agents. Decreased IL-2 production by SLE T cells is the result of transcriptional repression of the IL-2 gene. This article will review the defective transcription regulation of IL-2 in SLE T cells, which is the result of decreased expression of the enhancers NF-κB and AP1 and the increased expression of the transcriptional repressor CREM.

Keywords:

• cAMP response element modulator
• AP-1
• NF-κB
• NFAT
• IL-2 promoter
• CD28