Interleukin-2 mediates the peripheral analgesia of interferon alpha

Interferonα (IFNα) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) are crucial cytokines in immune system. They also play an important role in nerve system. It has been reported that IL-2 can induce the central analgesia. It is demonstrated that IFNα also can induce the peripheral analgesia, which can be blocked by naloxone as IL-2. Furthermore, the analgesic effect of IFN-α is reversible by monoclonal anti-IL-2 antibody.In vitro experiments show that IFN-α significantly increases the production of IL-2 in a dose dependent manner. These data suggest that IL-2 mediates the peripheral analgesia of IFN-α.