ArticleBMC immunology2019
Low dose of IL-2 combined with rapamycin restores and maintains the long-term balance of Th17/Treg cells in refractory SLE patients.
Article in BMC immunology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 50 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
50 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 71 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy, safety and the lymphocyte subsets changes of low-dose IL-2 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Immunity, inflammation and disease · 2024Pooled it
- Cytokine-independent activation of STAT5 promotes the persistence and function of CD4Molecular therapy. Advances · 2026Article
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- Regulatory T cell induction strategies and applications in the treatment of immune and non-immune diseases.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2026Review
- Targeting FOXP3 and Regulatory T Cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Emerging Therapeutic Strategies and Clinical Prospects.Journal of cellular biochemistry · 2026Review
- Serum IL-2 levels are associated with disease activity and related to dyslipidaemia and the immunological profile in systemic lupus erythematosus.Lupus science & medicine · 2026Article
- Accelerated immunosenescence in SLE: current evidence and clinical translation.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Advances in understanding the Th17/Treg balance in systemic lupus erythematosus: implications for treatment and management.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Refractory lupus nephritis: current Understanding and emerging treatment strategies.Clinical and experimental medicine · 2025Review
- Targeted regulatory T cell activation by site-specific PEGylated interleukin-2 mitigates autoimmune inflammation.Journal of translational autoimmunity · 2025Article
- Advances in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.Nature reviews. Drug discovery · 2025Review
- The 'TNature reviews. Rheumatology · 2025Review
- Metabolic reprogramming as a therapeutic target for modulating the Th17/Treg balance in autoimmune diseases: a comprehensive review.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
- Cytokine networks and therapeutic advances in systemic lupus erythematosus.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
- A glimpse into the application of the immunomodulatory effect of IL-2 in systemic lupus erythematosus.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Review
- Intricating connections: the role of ferroptosis in systemic lupus erythematosus.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
- Gut microbiota regulation of T lymphocyte subsets during systemic lupus erythematosus.BMC immunology · 2024Article
- Review
- Rituximab may affect T lymphocyte subsets balance in primary membranous nephropathy.BMC nephrology · 2024Article
- Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
12 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe development of Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been associated with the balance of Th17 and Treg cells. IL-2 and rapamycin can influence the populations of both Th17 and Treg cells. However, it is unclear whether low dose of IL-2 and rapamycin can relieve the symptoms of SLE patients and what is the mechanisms. In this study, we aim to analyze the effect of low dose of IL-2 plus rapamycin on the number of Tregs, Th17 cells and the ratio of Th17/Treg cells, as well as to evaluate its therapeutic efficacy in refractory SLE patients.
resultFifty refractory SLE patients and 70 healthy controls were enrolled and followed up for 24 weeks. We found that compared with HC, the refractory SLE patients had a lower number of Tregs, a similar number of Th17 cells, but an increased ratio of Th17/Treg. After the treatment, the number of Tregs of the patients at 12th and 24th week was significantly increased. While the number of Th17 cells was unchanged, the ratio of Th17/Treg was significantly decreased at both 6 weeks and 24 weeks. After 6, 12 and 24 weeks of treatment, the SLEDAI score was significantly reduced. The prednison dosage at 6th,12th and 24th week post treatment was significantly decreased.
conclusionOur results support that the reduction of Tregs and the imbalance of Th17/Treg cells were correlated with the occurrence and development of refractory SLE. Low dose of IL-2 combined with rapamycin was able to restore the number of Tregs and the balance of Th17/Treg cells. As a result, this approach was able to induce immune tolerance and promote disease remission, allowing for the reduction in prednisone dosage.
trial registrationChiCTR-IPR-16009451 Registration date: 2016/10/16.
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