Interleukin 15
| Interleukin 15 | |
|---|---|
| Identifiers | |
| Symbol | IL15 |
| Entrez | 3600 |
| HUGO | 5977 |
| OMIM | 600554 |
| RefSeq | NP_751914 |
| UniProt | P40933 |
| Other data | |
| Locus | Chr. 4 q31 |
Overview
Interleukin 15 (IL-15) is a cytokine with structural similarity to IL-2 that is secreted by mononuclear phagocytes (and some other cells) following infection by virus(es). This cytokine induces cell proliferation of natural killer cells; cells of the innate immune system whose principal role is to kill virally infected cells.
Maintenance of memory cells does not appear to require persistence of the original antigen; instead, survival signals for memory lymphocytes are provided by cytokines such as IL-15.
In transgenic mice that have the IL-15 receptor alpha (IL-15Ralpha) gene knocked out, natural killer cells cells do not develop.
In people with history of acute infectious mononucleosis (the syndrome associated with primary Epstein-Barr virus infection), IL-15R expressing lymphocytes are not detected--even 14 years after infection.