IL-15 exacerbates collagen-induced arthritis with an enhanced CD4+ T cell response to produce IL-17

IL-15 is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We found that IL-15 plays an important role in the development of murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). The incidence and severity of CIA were slightly decreased in IL-15 KO mice but were increased in IL-15 Tg mice compared with wild-type (WT) mice. The levels of type II collagen (CII)-specific IL-17 production were significantly increased in IL-15 Tg mice compared with WT mice with CIA. Expression of IL-23R was up-regulated in CD4(+) T cells in IL-15 Tg mice but down-regulated in IL-15 KO mice compared with WT mice. In correlation with the expression levels of IL-23R, IL-17 production by CD4(+) T cells in response to exogenous IL-23 was increased in IL-15 Tg mice compared with WT mice. Furthermore, exogenous IL-15 synergized with IL-23 to induce CII-specific IL-17 production by CD4(+) T cells in vitro. Taken together, these results indicate that IL-15 plays an important role in the progression of CIA through increasing antigen-specific IL-17 production by CD4(+) T cells.