白细胞介素-2（IL-2）在T细胞的生长和存活中扮演着关键的角色，增强了自然杀伤细胞和细胞毒性T细胞的细胞毒活性，因此起到了多功能的主要促炎性抗癌细胞因子的作用。美国食品药品监督管理局已经批准了白细胞介素-2细胞因子疗法用于治疗转移性黑色素瘤和转移性肾细胞癌。然而，白细胞介素-2疗法存在一些重要限制，包括血清半衰期短、肿瘤堆积低以及高剂量导致的危及生命的毒副作用。溶瘤病毒（OVs）为癌症免疫治疗提供了一种有希望的选择，能够有选择性地靶向并灭活癌细胞，同时保留健康细胞。大量的研究已经证明了使用天花、仙台、巴尔圈、新城疫、坦痘和腺病毒等溶瘤病毒将白细胞介素-2有效递送至肿瘤微环境而不影响安全的成功。此外，通过工程化溶瘤病毒共表达白细胞介素-2和其他抗癌转基因，可以进一步增强白细胞介素-2的免疫特性。临床前和临床研究已经显示了白细胞介素-2表达的病毒载体在抗癌治疗中具有良好的抗肿瘤效果，无论是单独使用还是与其他抗癌疗法联合使用。本综述总结了白细胞介素-2表达的病毒载体的治疗潜力和其抗肿瘤机制。

Interleukin 2 (IL-2) plays a crucial role in T-cell growth and survival, enhancing the cytotoxic activity of natural killer and cytotoxic T cells and thus functioning as a versatile master pro-inflammatory anti-cancer cytokine. The FDA has approved IL-2 cytokine therapy for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and metastatic renal cell carcinoma. However, IL-2 therapy has significant constraints, including a short serum half-life, low tumor accumulation, and life-threatening toxicities associated with high doses. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) offer a promising option for cancer immunotherapy, selectively targeting and destroying cancer cells while sparing healthy cells. Numerous studies have demonstrated the successful delivery of IL-2 to the tumor microenvironment without compromising safety using OVs such as vaccinia, Sendai, parvo, Newcastle disease, tanapox, and adenoviruses. Additionally, by engineering OVs to co-express IL-2 with other anticancer transgenes, the immune properties of IL-2 can be further enhanced. Pre-clinical and clinical studies have shown promising antitumor effects of IL-2-expressing viral vectors, either alone or in combination with other anticancer therapies. This review summarizes the therapeutic potential of IL-2-expressing viral vectors and their antitumor mechanisms of action.