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interleukin-2 gene

The DNA sequence that encodes the protein cytokine interleukin-2 (IL-2). When introduced as the complementary DNA (cDNA) form into tumor cells by, for example, a genetically engineered adenovirus vector, the transfected IL-2 cDNA expresses IL-2 which may activate antitumoral natural killer cells and elicit an antitumoral cytotoxic T-cell response, resulting in an inhibition of tumor progression.
Synonym:IL-2 gene
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