title: Converting IL-15 to a superagonist by binding to soluble IL-15R{alpha}.
abstract: IL-15 is normally presented in vivo as a cell-associated cytokine bound to IL-15Ralpha. We show here that the biological activity of soluble IL-15 is much improved after interaction with recombinant soluble IL-15Ralpha; after injection, soluble IL-15/IL-15Ralpha complexes rapidly induce strong and selective expansion of memory-phenotype CD8(+) cells and natural killer cells. These findings imply that binding of IL-15Ralpha to IL-15 may create a conformational change that potentiates IL-15 recognition by the betagamma(c) receptor on T cells. The enhancing effect of IL-15Ralpha binding may explain why IL-15 normally functions as a cell-associated cytokine. Significantly, the results with IL-2, a soluble cytokine, are quite different; thus, IL-2 function is markedly inhibited by binding to soluble IL-2Ralpha.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, IMM4, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Mark P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kovar
authors.forename: Jared F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Purton
authors.forename: Jae-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Onur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Boyman
authors.forename: Charles D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Surh
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sprent
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006801:Humans; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011485:Protein Binding; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053647:Receptors, Interleukin-15; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C508024:IL15RA protein, human; C508017:IL2RA protein, human; C508025:Il15ra protein, mouse; C508018:Il2ra protein, mouse; D019409:Interleukin-15; D007376:Interleukin-2; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D053647:Receptors, Interleukin-15; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins