title: Reduced expression of Bcl-2 in CD8+ T cells deficient in the IL-15 receptor alpha-chain.
abstract: Mice that lack IL-15 or the IL-15R alpha-chain (IL-15Ralpha) are deficient in peripheral CD8(+), but not in CD4(+), T cells. This CD8(+) T cell-specific deficiency has now been investigated further by characterization of a new strain of IL-15Ralpha(-/-) mice. The adult mutant mice exhibited a specific reduction in the percentage of CD8-single positive TCR(high) thymocytes. The expression of Bcl-2 was reduced in both CD8(+) thymocytes and naive T cells of the mutant animals, and the susceptibility of these cells to death was increased. Memory CD8(+) cells were profoundly deficient in IL-15Ralpha(-/-)mice, and the residual memory-like CD8(+) cells contained a high percentage of dead cells and failed to up-regulate Bcl-2 expression compared with naive CD8(+) cells. Moreover, exogenous IL-15 both up-regulated the level of Bcl-2 in and reduced the death rate of wild-type and mutant CD8(+) T cells activated in vitro. These results indicate that IL-15 and IL-15Ralpha regulate the expression of Bcl-2 in CD8(+) T cells at all developmental stages. The reduced Bcl-2 content in CD8(+) cells might result in survival defect and contribute to the reduction of CD8(+) cells in IL-15Ralpha(-/-)mice.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tzong-Shoon
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jan-Mou
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yein-Gei
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Jen-Chi
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Ching-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Ying-Hue
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Nan-Shih
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005260:Female; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D053647:Receptors, Interleukin-15; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C508025:Il15ra protein, mouse; D019409:Interleukin-15; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D053647:Receptors, Interleukin-15; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2