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Published on: July 23, 2012
IL-15 mRNA expression is up-regulated in blood and cerebrospinal fluid mononuclear cells in multiple sclerosis (MS)
P Kivisäkk1, D Matusevicius, B He
1Division of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract:
IL-15, produced by monocytes and epithelial cells, is a novel cytokine with actions similar to IL-2. IL-15 induces T cell proliferation, B cell maturation and natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity, and is a chemoattractant for T cells. We investigated the expression of IL-15 mRNA in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) mononuclear cells (MNC) in MS, an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system where cytokines are involved. MS patients had higher numbers of IL-15 mRNA-expressing blood MNC than patients with aseptic meningo-encephalitis (AM) and healthy controls. In CSF, MS patients had even higher numbers of IL-15 mRNA-expressing cells than in blood. This discrepancy between IL-15 mRNA expression between blood and CSF MNC was not seen in AM patients. Patients examined during the secondary chronic-progressive phase of MS had higher numbers of IL-15 mRNA-expressing blood MNC compared with patients examined during the relapsing-remitting phase. Levels of IL-15 mRNA-positive blood MNC were similar in patients with AM, myasthenia gravis, non-inflammatory neurological diseases and healthy controls. Taken together these data indicate that IL-15 mRNA expression is up-regulated in MS, further suggesting a role for proinflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of MS.
Insights
Interleukin-15 (IL-15) mRNA expression is significantly increased in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, suggesting its role in MS pathogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a cytokine with functions overlapping IL-2.
- IL-15 influences T cell proliferation, B cell maturation, and NK cell activity.
- Cytokines are implicated in the inflammatory processes of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression of IL-15 mRNA in mononuclear cells (MNC) from blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of MS patients.
- To compare IL-15 mRNA expression in MS patients with other neurological conditions and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Quantification of IL-15 mRNA expression in blood and CSF MNC.
- Comparison of IL-15 mRNA levels between MS patients, patients with aseptic meningo-encephalitis (AM), myasthenia gravis, non-inflammatory neurological diseases, and healthy controls.
- Analysis of IL-15 mRNA expression in different MS disease phases (relapsing-remitting vs. secondary chronic-progressive).
Main Results:
- MS patients exhibited higher IL-15 mRNA-expressing blood MNC compared to AM patients and healthy controls.
- CSF of MS patients showed even higher IL-15 mRNA-expressing cells than their blood.
- Elevated IL-15 mRNA expression in blood MNC was observed in the secondary chronic-progressive MS phase compared to the relapsing-remitting phase.
- IL-15 mRNA levels in blood MNC were similar in AM, myasthenia gravis, non-inflammatory neurological diseases, and healthy controls.
Conclusions:
- IL-15 mRNA expression is upregulated in multiple sclerosis.
- The findings suggest a significant role for IL-15 in the pathogenesis of MS.
- Differential expression of IL-15 in blood and CSF highlights its involvement in CNS inflammation in MS.
