title: Cerebral interleukin-15 shows upregulation and beneficial effects in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
abstract: Interleukin (IL)-15 can cross the blood-brain barrier to act on its specific brain receptor (IL15Ralpha) and co-receptors. The important roles of neuronal IL15 and IL15Ralpha in experimental autoimmune encephalomeylitis (EAE) are suggested by the upregulation of IL15Ralpha mRNA in different regions of the brain and spinal cord, and by double-labeling immunohistochemistry showing neuronal localization of IL15 and IL15Ralpha in different neurons. Contrary to expectations, IL15 treatment lessened EAE severity. IL15 knockout mice showed heightened susceptibility to EAE with significantly higher scores that were decreased by treatment with IL15. Thus, IL15 improves this CNS autoimmune disorder as a potential therapeutic agent.
authors.affiliation: Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Weihong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Hung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hsuchou
authors.forename: Abba J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kastin
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000209:etiology; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009474:Neurons / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053647:Receptors, Interleukin-15 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; C508025:Il15ra protein, mouse; D019409:Interleukin-15; D053647:Receptors, Interleukin-15