title: Effects of interleukin-15 on antifungal responses of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes against Fusarium spp. and Scedosporium spp.
abstract: Fusarium spp. and Scedosporium spp. have emerged as important fungal pathogens that are frequently resistant to antifungal compounds. We investigated the effects of human interleukin-15 (IL-15) on human polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) activity against Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum as well as Scedosporium prolificans and Scedosporium apiospermum. IL-15 (100 ng/ml) significantly enhanced PMNL-induced hyphal damage of both Fusarium spp. and S. prolificans after incubation for 22 h (P < 0.01) but not S. apiospermum. In addition, IL-15 enhanced PMNL oxidative respiratory burst evaluated as superoxide anion production in response to S. prolificans but not to the other fungi after 2 h incubation. IL-15 increased interleukin-8 (IL-8) release from PMNLs challenged with hyphae of F. solani and S. prolificans (P< or = 0.04). Release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha was not affected. The species-dependent enhancement of hyphal damage and induction of IL-8 release suggest that IL-15 plays an important role in the immunomodulation of host response to these emerging fungal pathogens.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital, GR-54642 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Winn
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gil-Lamaignere
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roilides
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simitsopoulou
authors.forename: Caron A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Lyman
authors.forename: Avgi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maloukou
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Walsh
mesh_terms: D005670:Fusarium / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D025301:Hyphae / Q000378:metabolism; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D021681:Scedosporium / Q000276:immunology*; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019409:Interleukin-15; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013481:Superoxides