TY - JOUR

T1 - Interleukin-15 and its role in chronic inflammatory diseases

AU - Kirman, I.

AU - Vainer, B.

AU - Nielsen, O. H.

PY - 1998/8/28

Y1 - 1998/8/28

N2 - This review focuses on the biological effects of the newly discovered cytokine, interleukin 15 (IL-15), in chronic inflammatory disorders. IL-15 shares biological activities with IL-2, and like IL-2 it is a member of the four-helix bundle cytokine family. IL-15 interacts with a heterotrimeric receptor that consists of the β and γ subunits of the IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) as well as a specific, high-affinity IL-15-binding subunit, IL-15Rα. IL-15 is produced by macrophages and various other cells in response to environmental stimuli and infectious agents, and it is important for the growth and differentiation of T and B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, macrophages, and monocytes as well as it activates a number of important intracellular signaling molecules, including the Janus kinases and members of the transcription factor family of signal transducers and activators of transcription. These facts suggest that IL-15 may play a pivotal role both in protective immune responses and in the pathogenesis of various chronic immuno-inflammatory disorders. The important new insight into the role of IL-15 in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, chronic hepatitis C, and ulcerative colitis are reviewed in this paper.

AB - This review focuses on the biological effects of the newly discovered cytokine, interleukin 15 (IL-15), in chronic inflammatory disorders. IL-15 shares biological activities with IL-2, and like IL-2 it is a member of the four-helix bundle cytokine family. IL-15 interacts with a heterotrimeric receptor that consists of the β and γ subunits of the IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) as well as a specific, high-affinity IL-15-binding subunit, IL-15Rα. IL-15 is produced by macrophages and various other cells in response to environmental stimuli and infectious agents, and it is important for the growth and differentiation of T and B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, macrophages, and monocytes as well as it activates a number of important intracellular signaling molecules, including the Janus kinases and members of the transcription factor family of signal transducers and activators of transcription. These facts suggest that IL-15 may play a pivotal role both in protective immune responses and in the pathogenesis of various chronic immuno-inflammatory disorders. The important new insight into the role of IL-15 in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, chronic hepatitis C, and ulcerative colitis are reviewed in this paper.

KW - Inflammation

KW - Interleukin-15

KW - T cells

KW - Ulcerative colitis

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031852876&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s000110050331

DO - 10.1007/s000110050331

M3 - Review

C2 - 9719492

AN - SCOPUS:0031852876

VL - 47

SP - 285

EP - 289

JO - Inflammation Research

JF - Inflammation Research

SN - 1023-3830

IS - 7

ER -