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664.8 |
Elmets, Hui Xu. Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
ABSTRACT
Interleukin-15 (IL-15) plays important roles in the regulation of immune responses. In IL-15 knockout (IL-15–/–) mice, the activation and function of NK and CD8+ T cells are impaired whereas CD4+ T cells are less affected. Evidence indicates that dendritic cells (DC) is able to produce IL-15 and that DC derived IL-15 is required for the stimulation of NK and T cells. However, the effect of IL-15 on DC cells is less clear. We show here that IL-15–/– DC are more active than wild type DC in the activation of CD4+ T cells and induction of contact hypersensitivity responses (CHS). IL-15–/– or IL-15 receptor knockout (IL-15R–/–) DC produced a lower level of IL-12p70 and IFN-g than wild type DC, as reported in previous studies. However, we found that they also produced a higher level of IL-12 p40 and IL-23 and a lower level of IL-10 than wild type DC. Addition of exogenous recombinant IL-15 in cultures reduced the production of IL-12p40 and IL-23 but increased IL-12p70, IFN-g and IL-10 by IL-15–/– but not IL-15R–/– DC. Adoptive transfer of hapten labeled IL-15–/– or IL-15R–/– DC into naïve wild type mice induced a higher level of CHS than wild type DC. IL-15–/– DC that were treated with IL-15 induced a similar level of CHS as wild type DC. Similarly, IL-15–/– DC stimulated higher levels of IFN-g and IL-17 production by hapten primed T cells and OT-II cell proliferation in cultures than wild type DC. This effect was abrogated by pre-treatment of IL-15–/– DC with IL-15. The data provide insights into a novel mechanism for IL-15 mediated regulation of immune responses. It implicate that IL-15 increases the production of immune suppressive cytokines IL-10 and inhibits the function of DC in the stimulation of T cells and induction of immune responses.
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