Product Description

Recombinant Human Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a 15–16 kDa glycoprotein cytokine produced via recombinant DNA technology in either E. coli or mammalian expression systems. IL-2 is a key regulator of adaptive immunity, primarily driving T-cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. In addition, IL-2 activates natural killer (NK) cells, enhancing cytotoxic functions against target cells.

The lyophilized recombinant IL-2 ensures long-term stability, high reproducibility, and consistent bioactivity across experiments. It binds to the high-affinity IL-2 receptor complex (CD25/CD122/CD132), which initiates multiple intracellular signaling cascades, including:

• JAK-STAT Pathway: STAT5 phosphorylation leads to transcription of genes controlling proliferation, survival, cytotoxicity, and cytokine production.

• PI3K-AKT Pathway: Supports survival, metabolism, and resistance to apoptosis in T-cells and NK cells.

• MAPK/ERK Pathway: Drives gene transcription required for cell cycle progression, proliferation, and differentiation.

IL-2 is widely applied in laboratory research for immune cell expansion, cytokine signaling studies, and adoptive cell therapy research. Its recombinant lyophilized form allows:

• Dose-response and time-course experiments to quantify immune cell proliferation and activation.

• Mechanistic studies exploring JAK-STAT, PI3K-AKT, and MAPK signaling in T-cells and NK cells.

• Ex vivo expansion of CAR-T cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) for immunotherapy research.

• Investigation of immune checkpoints and T-cell exhaustion in preclinical models.

The product is produced under GMP-compliant conditions, with endotoxin levels controlled at <0.1 EU/µg, and batch consistency verified through SDS-PAGE, HPLC, and functional bioassays. Reconstitution is straightforward using sterile water, PBS, or culture media, making it compatible with a wide range of experimental protocols including flow cytometry, ELISA, Western blotting, cytotoxicity assays, and cytokine profiling.

Lyophilized IL-2 is highly stable, enabling long-term storage and global shipping while preserving full bioactivity, which is crucial for multicenter research collaborations and high-throughput studies.

Product Specifications

Mechanism of Action

Recombinant Human IL-2 functions by binding to the high-affinity IL-2 receptor complex, composed of:

• CD25 (IL-2Rα): confers high-affinity binding

• CD122 (IL-2Rβ): mediates intracellular signaling via JAK1/JAK3

• CD132 (γc chain): required for signal transduction and shared by multiple interleukins

Upon receptor binding, JAK1 and JAK3 kinases are activated, resulting in phosphorylation of STAT5, which translocates to the nucleus and regulates transcription of genes critical for cell proliferation, survival, effector functions, and cytokine secretion.

JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway

• STAT5 induces cyclin D3, Bcl-2, perforin, and granzyme B, promoting proliferation and cytotoxic function.

• Negative regulators like SOCS1 and SOCS3 provide feedback inhibition, preventing overstimulation.

• Laboratory assays often measure STAT5 phosphorylation as a direct indicator of IL-2 activity.

PI3K-AKT Pathway

• Supports cell survival, metabolic adaptation, and resistance to apoptosis.

• Critical for T-cell expansion and NK cytotoxicity studies.

• Inhibitor studies can dissect specific contributions to proliferation and survival.

MAPK/ERK Pathway

• Regulates gene transcription required for cell cycle progression, differentiation, and effector function.

• Key pathway in ex vivo T-cell and NK cell cultures to assess activation kinetics.

Immune Modulation

• Activates cytotoxic NK cells and effector T-cells.

• Enhances IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-10 secretion.

• Supports expansion of regulatory T cells (Tregs) for immune tolerance studies.

Cytokine Synergy Studies

• Recombinant IL-2 can be combined with IL-7, IL-15, or IL-21 to study synergistic effects on immune cell proliferation and function.

• Useful for modeling tumor microenvironments and immune network interactions.

Preclinical and Translational Applications

• Ex vivo CAR-T cell expansion

• Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) activation

• Immune checkpoint studies (PD-1, CTLA-4, TIM-3, LAG-3)

• Signal transduction mapping in immunotherapy research

• In vitro immune toxicity and cytokine release assays

The lyophilized recombinant form ensures high stability and reproducibility, allowing detailed investigation of these pathways across multiple experimental conditions.

Side Effects

Cellular Effects

• T-cell proliferation and blast formation: Recombinant Human IL-2 strongly promotes clonal expansion of activated T-cells, resulting in increased cell size, cytoplasmic granularity, and blast formation. These morphological changes are routinely monitored in ex vivo cultures using flow cytometry or microscopy.

• NK cell activation: NK cells exhibit enhanced cytotoxicity, upregulated perforin/granzyme B expression, and increased cytokine secretion (IFN-γ, TNF-α) upon exposure to recombinant IL-2.

• Regulatory T-cell expansion: IL-2 preferentially expands CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs in certain contexts, impacting the balance between immune activation and tolerance.

Molecular Effects

• JAK-STAT phosphorylation: STAT5 phosphorylation levels increase in activated T-cells and NK cells, promoting survival and effector gene transcription.

• PI3K-AKT and MAPK signaling: These pathways are upregulated, contributing to metabolic adaptation, apoptosis resistance, and functional cytotoxicity.

• Cytokine production modulation: IL-2 induces both pro-inflammatory (IFN-γ, TNF-α) and regulatory cytokines (IL-10), which can affect downstream experiments if not carefully controlled.

Laboratory Handling Considerations

• Always use personal protective equipment (PPE) including gloves, lab coat, and eye protection.

• Reconstitute lyophilized IL-2 under sterile conditions to prevent contamination.

• Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles to maintain bioactivity.

• Dispose of excess or expired material according to institutional biosafety and hazardous waste guidelines.

• Monitor cellular responses in pilot experiments to optimize dosing and reduce potential overactivation or unintended apoptosis.

Note: While recombinant IL-2 is non-toxic to human or animal subjects in laboratory settings, excessive concentrations may overstimulate immune cells in culture, potentially leading to apoptosis or cytokine imbalance. Proper experimental design and titration are essential for reproducible and safe results.

Keywords

Recombinant Human Interleukin-2; rhIL-2 lyophilized powder; T-cell proliferation reagent; NK cell activation cytokine; immune signaling protein; GMP recombinant cytokine; laboratory research protein; cytokine signaling studies; tumor immunology tool; ex vivo immune cell expansion; adoptive immunotherapy research; high-purity bulk IL-2; molecular immunology reagent; in vitro Treg modulation; immune checkpoint research compound; cytokine synergy research; CAR-T expansion reagent; preclinical immune assay tool; recombinant cytokine protein.

Shipping Guarantee

• Temperature-controlled shipping: Dry ice or cold packs to maintain bioactivity.

• Packaging: Shock-absorbent, double-sealed vials to prevent contamination or damage.

• Tracking: Real-time logistics updates for international shipments.

• Insurance: Full coverage for product loss or damage during transport.

Trade Assurance

• Purity ≥98% verified by SDS-PAGE, HPLC, and bioactivity assays.

• GMP-compliant production ensures consistent batch quality.

• Certificate of Analysis (CoA) provided with each lot.

• Replacement or refund available for non-conforming products.

Payment Support

• PayPal, Credit Card, T/T, USDT, Bitcoin, Ethereum.

• Fully encrypted and verified payment systems for global research institutions.