Many existing treatments for inflammatory bowel disease, like Remicade® and Humira®, work by blocking inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukins IL-12 and IL-23, which are over-produced in autoimmune disease. But few patients with ulcerative colitis get complete relief from these drugs.
A small but promising open-label clinical trial, published recently in Gastroenterology, suggests a new option: low-dose IL-2 (Proleukin®).
In high doses, IL-2 is pro-inflammatory and is used to fight cancer. But in low doses, it stimulates the T regulatory cells (Tregs) that suppress inflammation and are thought to be in short supply in ulcerative colitis.
