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Expression of IL-15 in inflammatory pulmonary diseases
S Muro1, R Taha, A Tsicopoulos
1Meakins-Christie Laboratories and Montreal Chest Research Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|December 14, 2001
Summary
Interleukin-15 (IL-15) expression is elevated in chronic lung diseases like sarcoidosis and tuberculosis. Neutrophils and macrophages are the primary sources of this inflammatory cytokine in the lungs.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pulmonology
- Cytokine Biology
Background:
- Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a T(H)1-related cytokine with shared functions and receptor subunits with IL-2.
- IL-15 is implicated in inflammatory disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases.
- The role of IL-15 in inflammatory lung diseases remained largely uninvestigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the expression of IL-15 mRNA and protein in bronchial biopsies from patients with various lung diseases.
- To compare IL-15 expression in sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, and asthma against normal controls.
Main Methods:
- In situ hybridization to detect IL-15 mRNA.
- Immunocytochemistry and double immunostaining to detect IL-15 protein and identify cellular sources.
- Analysis of bronchial biopsy specimens from patients and healthy controls.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher numbers of IL-15 mRNA and protein-expressing cells were found in sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, and chronic bronchitis tissues compared to asthma and normal controls.
- Immunohistochemistry confirmed elevated IL-15 immunoreactivity in these chronic lung diseases.
- Neutrophils and macrophages were identified as the major cellular sources of IL-15 in the lung tissue.
Conclusions:
- IL-15 expression is associated with T(H)1-mediated chronic inflammatory lung diseases.
- Elevated IL-15 may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of conditions like sarcoidosis and tuberculosis.
- Targeting IL-15 could be a potential therapeutic strategy for chronic inflammatory lung diseases.
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