Intracellular IL-15 controls mast cell survival

The regulation of mast cell activities and survival is a central issue in inflammatory immune responses. Here, we have investigated the role of mouse interleukin-15, a pro-inflammatory and pleiotropic cytokine, in the control of mast cell survival and homeostasis. We report that aged IL-15-/- mice show a reduced number of peritoneal mast cells compared to WT mice. Furthermore, IL-15 deficiency in bone marrow derived mouse mast cells (BMMCs) results in increased susceptibility to apoptosis mediated by growth factor deprivation and A-SMase-treatment. IL-15-/- BMMCs show a constitutive stronger mRNA and protein expression as well as enzymatic activity of the members of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathways including acidic lysosomal aspartate protease cathepsin D (CTSD), endogenous acid sphingomyelinase (A-SMase), caspase-3 and -7 compared to wild type (WT) BMMCs. Furthermore, IL-15-/- BMMCs constitutively generate more A-SMase-derived ceramide than WT controls and display a decreased expression of pro-survival sphingosin-1-phosphate (SPP) both in cytosol and membrane cell fractions. Furthermore, pre-treatment of mast cells with imipramine or pepstatin A, inhibitors of the intracellular acid sphingomyelinase and cathepsin D pathways respectively, increases survival in IL-15-/- BMMCs. These findings suggest that intracellular IL-15 is a key regulator of pathways controlling primary mouse mast cell homeostasis.