Dose-escalated interleukin-2 therapy for refractory chronic graft-versus-host disease in adults and children.

ABSTRACT: Low-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) generates a rapid rise in plasma IL-2 levels and CD4⁺CD25⁺CD127^-Foxp3⁺ regulatory T-cell (CD4Treg) proliferation, but both decrease over time despite continued daily administration. To test whether IL-2 dose escalation at the time of anticipated falls in plasma levels could circumvent tachyphylaxis and enhance CD4Treg expansion, we conducted a phase 1 trial in 10 adult and 11 pediatric patients with steroid-refractory cGVHD (www.clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02318082). Daily IL-2 was initiated in children and adults (0.33 × 10⁶ and 0.67 × 10⁶ IU/m² per day, respectively). Dose escalations were scheduled at weeks 2 and 4 to a maximum dose

SUBMITTER: Whangbo JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6737411 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature