Interleukin-15: Its role in microbial infections

Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a pleiotropic cytokine which regulates the proliferation, survival and the secretory activities of many distinct cell types in the body. This cytokine is produced by macrophages and many other cell types in response to infectious agents; it controls growth and differentiati...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Authors: Bannwart, C. F. [UNESP], Nakaira, E. T. [UNESP], Sartori, A. [UNESP], Peraçoli, Maria Terezinha Serrão [UNESP]
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2007
Country:Brasil
Institution:Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)
Repository:Repositório Institucional da UNESP
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.unesp.br:11449/69930
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1678-91992007000300002
http://hdl.handle.net/11449/69930
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Innate immunity
Interleukin-15
Microbial infections
Description
Summary:Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a pleiotropic cytokine which regulates the proliferation, survival and the secretory activities of many distinct cell types in the body. This cytokine is produced by macrophages and many other cell types in response to infectious agents; it controls growth and differentiation of T and B lymphocytes, activation of Natural Killer (NK) and phagocytic cells, and contributes to the homeostasis of the immune system. The present review focuses on the biological and modulatory effects of IL-15 in microbial infections and shows that this cytokine may play a role in the host defense against infections by inducing activation of effector cells from both innate and adaptive immune system.