title: Adipocyte IL-15 regulates local and systemic NK cell development.
abstract: NK cell development and homeostasis require IL-15 produced by both hematopoietic and parenchymal cells. Certain hematopoietic IL-15 sources, such as macrophages and dendritic cells, are known, whereas the source of parenchymal IL-15 remains elusive. Using two types of adipocyte-specific Il15(-/-) mice, we identified adipocytes as a parenchymal IL-15 source that supported NK cell development nonredundantly. Both adipocyte-specific Il15(-/-) mice showed reduced IL-15 production specifically in the adipose tissue but impaired NK cell development in the spleen and liver in addition to the adipose tissue. We also found that the adipose tissue harbored NK progenitors as other niches (e.g. spleen) for NK cell development, and that NK cells derived from transplanted adipose tissue populated the recipient's spleen and liver. These findings suggest that adipocyte IL-15 contributes to systemic NK cell development by supporting NK cell development in the adipose tissue, which serves as a source of NK cells for other organs.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan; and Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yae-Huei
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Liou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Szu-Wen
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chin-Ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Lin
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mau-Sheng
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yein-Gei
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Gilbert Aaron
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Si-Tse
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan; and Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan mbfelix@imb.sinica.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Nan-Shih
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000276:immunology; D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000276:immunology; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D055650:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily A / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D019409:Interleukin-15; C527091:Klra3 protein, mouse; C451496:Klrg1 protein, mouse; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D055650:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily A; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic