The contrasting roles of IL-2 and IL-15 in the life and death of lymphocytes: implications for the immunotherapy of rheumatological diseases.
Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a 14-15-kDa member of the 4alpha helix bundle family of cytokines that stimulate T and NK (natural killer) cells. IL-15 and IL-2 utilize heterotrimeric receptors that include the cytokine-specific private receptors IL-2Ralpha and IL-15Ralpha, as well as two receptor elements that they share, IL-2Rbeta and gammac. Although IL-2 and IL-15 share two receptor subunits and many functions, at times they provide contrasting contributions to T-cell-mediated immune responses. IL-2, through its pivotal role in activation-induced cell death (AICD), is involved in peripheral tolerance through the elimination of self-reactive T cells. In contrast, IL-15 in general manifests anti-apoptotic actions and inhibits IL-2-mediated AICD. IL-15 stimulates the persistence of memory phenotype CD8+ T cells, whereas IL-2 inhibits their expression. Abnormalities of IL-15 expression have been described in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease and in diseases associated with the retrovirus HTLV-I (human T-cell lymphotropic virus I). Humanized monoclonal antibodies that recognize IL-2Ralpha, the private receptor for IL-2, are being employed to inhibit allograft rejection and to treat T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. New approaches directed toward inhibiting the actions of the inflammatory cytokine, IL-15, are proposed for an array of autoimmune disorders including rheumatoid arthritis as well as diseases associated with the retrovirus HTLV-I.
Metabolism Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. tawald@helix.nih.gov
Thomas
T
Waldmann
D016923:Cell Death / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000276:immunology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*
D019409:Interleukin-15; D007376:Interleukin-2