title: Interleukin-15 triggers the proliferation and cytotoxicity of granular lymphocytes in patients with lymphoproliferative disease of granular lymphocytes.
abstract: The recently cloned cytokine interleukin-15 (IL-15) shares several functional activities with IL-2 in different cell systems. Although IL-15 does not show sequence homology with IL-2, it uses components of the IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) for binding and signal transduction, namely, p75 (beta) and the p64 (gamma) chains of IL-2R. To evaluate whether IL-15 is involved in the activation of granular lymphocytes (GL) in patients with lymphoproliferative disease of granular lymphocytes (LDGL), we evaluated the ability of IL-15 to stimulate GL proliferation, cytotoxic function, and the role of IL-2R beta and gamma molecules on relevant cells. Our results show that IL-15 stimulates cell proliferation and cytotoxic activity of GL in LDGL patients. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and phenotypic analyses using the anti-IL-2R gamma-chain-specific TUGh4 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) indicate that both CD3+ and CD3- GL express the p64 IL-2R, a result previously unknown. IL-15 activity was inhibited by antibodies against p75 and p64 IL-2R chains, while no inhibitory effects are detectable with anti-p55 IL-2R antibody. The association of anti-p75 and anti-p64 IL-2R MoAbs resulted in a nearly complete (95%) inhibition of IL-15-induced GL proliferation. Using RT-PCR analysis, we demonstrated that highly purified CD3+ and CD3- GL did not express mRNA for IL-15 or IL-2. By contrast, a clear-cut IL-15 mRNA signal was detected by RT-PCR in patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells, with monocytes likely accounting for the source of IL-15 in LDGL patients. However, even in concentrated supernatants from enriched monocyte populations, we could not demonstrate the presence of IL-15 protein. Using anti-IL-15 specific MoAbs, a membrane-bound form of this cytokine was demonstrated both on CD3+ and CD3- LDGL cells. By RT-PCR analysis, purified GL from these patients were found to express the message for IL-15 receptor alpha chain. Taken together, these results indicate that both CD3+ and CD3- GL are stimulated by IL-15 and that this cytokine mediates its activity through the beta and gamma chains of the IL-2R, providing further suggestions for the interpretation of the mechanisms that lead to cell expansion in patients with LDGL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Padua University School of Medicine, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zambello
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Facco
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trentin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sancetta
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tassinari
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pizzolo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodeghiero
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agostini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meazza
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferrini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Semenzato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053647:Receptors, Interleukin-15; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; C508024:IL15RA protein, human; D019409:Interleukin-15; D007376:Interleukin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053647:Receptors, Interleukin-15; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins