title: IL-15 an immunoregulatory and anti-cancer cytokine. Recent advances.
abstract: Interleukins are mediators of inflammation, immunity and cancer. IL-15 is a cytokine produced by several leukocytes including phagocytes in response to infections and other signals that trigger innate immunity. IL-15 has many homologies to interleukin-2 (IL-2) and like IL-2, stimulates NK cells. This cytokine acts also on memory CD8+ T-cell. IL-15, therefore acts, probably through selective inhibition of tumor promoting molecules, as a new compound for the adjuvant treatment of solid tumors. In this review we propose a newly revised mechanism of interleukin 15 in inflammation and cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, U.S.A.
authors.forename: L N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Shanmugham
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petrarca
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frydas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Donelan
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Castellani
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Madhappan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tete'
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Falasca
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vecchiet
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines; D018450:Disease Progression; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D019409:Interleukin-15