Van Belle, Tom L., Dooms, Hans, Boonefaes, Tom, Wei, Xiao-Qing ![]() |
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Abstract
Due to its critical role in NK cell differentiation and CD8+ T cell homeostasis, the importance of IL-15 is more firmly established for cytolytic effectors of the immune system than for CD4+ T cells. The increased levels of IL-15 found in several CD4+ T cell-driven (auto-) immune diseases prompted us to examine how IL-15 influences murine CD4+ T cell responses to low dose TCR-stimulation in vitro. We show that IL-15 exerts growth factor activity on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in a TCR-dependent and Cyclosporin A-sensitive manner. In CD4+ T cells, IL-15 augmented initial IL-2-dependent expansion and once IL-15Rα was upregulated, IL-15 sustained the TCR-induced expression of IL-2/15Rβ, supporting proliferation independently of secreted IL-2. Moreover, IL-15 counteracts CD4+ T cell suppression by a gradually expanding CD25HighCD4+ T cell subset that expresses Foxp3 and originates from CD4+CD25+ Tregs. These in vitro data suggest that IL-15 may dramatically strengthen the T cell response to suboptimal TCR-triggering by overcoming an activation threshold set by Treg that might create a risk for autoimmune pathology.
Item Type: | Article |
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Status: | Published |
Schools: | Dentistry |
Subjects: | R Medicine > R Medicine (General) |
Publisher: | Public Library of Science |
ISSN: | 1932-6203 |
Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 30 March 2016 |
Last Modified: | 21 May 2023 23:37 |
URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/39809 |
Citation Data
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