title: Effects of interleukin-15 on in vitro human T cell proliferation and activation.
abstract: Interleukin-15 (IL-15) has been reported to have many activities on T cell populations, including a potential role in improving antigen-specific proliferation in HIV-1 disease. We tested this response in healthy adults by studying the response of T cell populations after stimulation with medium, tetanus, cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigens in cultures from 21 volunteers. IL-15 caused a dose-dependent increase in medium and antigen-induced proliferation. The expansion was due to CD8>natural killer (NK)>CD4 lymphocytes and memory > naive cells. The IL-15-stimulated CD8 cells had increased levels of the activation markers CD69 and DR. The published CMV-induced expression of CD57 on CD8+ cells was increased in CMV seronegative and seropositive subjects by IL-15. IL-15 appears to be a stimulator of T cell populations in healthy adults and may be useful in settings to enhance nonspecific NK activity or antigen-specific CD8 activity.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY 14642, USA.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hasan
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Kallas
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Looney
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000494:pharmacology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D019409:Interleukin-15; D007376:Interleukin-2; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid