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Receptor-tuned Interleukin-2 Mutein Decouples Treg Expansion from ILC2-driven Cutaneous Inflammation

Anupama Sahoo,¹ Cody Moorman,¹ Mina Tsenkova,¹ Yi Jing,¹ Alexis Valdovinos,¹ Xin Luo,² Shiping Lu,¹ Songyu Wang,³ Renee R. Hukkanen,⁴ Madeline Fort,⁴ Helen S.H. Tang,³ Ronya Primack,⁵ Shweta Mandavalli,⁵ and Weiwen Deng¹

Published September 29, 2026 - More info

Low-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-2 muteins are being developed to expand regulatory T cells (Tregs) for autoimmune disease therapy, but injection site reactions (ISRs) remain frequent and poorly understood. Here we show IL2Mut24, a murine surrogate of IL-2 receptor α (IL-2Rα, CD25)-biased IL-2 mutein, enhances Treg expansion yet paradoxically exacerbates cutaneous inflammation compared to wild-type IL-2. Using immunodeficient mice, antibody blockade and adoptive transfer, we identify group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) as key drivers of IL-2-induced skin inflammation, defining a CD25-dependent innate activation axis that constrains immune tolerance. In cynomolgus monkeys, the CD25-biased IL-2 mutein efavaleukin alfa promotes greater peripheral Treg expansion than aldesleukin (recombinant human IL-2) but is accompanied by transient increases in IL-5 and dose-dependent ISRs, indicating conservation of this innate inflammatory program across species. To improve the therapeutic window, we engineer receptor clamps by linking IL2Mut24 to antibodies against CD25 to restrict IL-2 access to CD25. This receptor-tuned IL-2 preserves Treg selectivity, suppresses ISRs, and outperforms IL2Mut24 in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by restraining Th17 responses. These findings reveal a conserved innate mechanism underlying IL-2–associated toxicity and establish receptor-tuning as a strategy to improve the safety and efficacy of IL-2–based immunotherapy.

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