| First Author | Mitchell DM | Year | 2010 |
| Journal | J Immunol | Volume | 184 |
| Issue | 12 | Pages | 6719-30 |
| PubMed ID | 20483725 | Mgi Jnum | J:161153 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:4457441 | Doi | 10.4049/jimmunol.0904089 |
| Citation | Mitchell DM, et al. (2010) Distinct roles for IL-2 and IL-15 in the differentiation and survival of CD8+ effector and memory T cells. J Immunol 184(12):6719-30 |
| abstractText | IL-2 provides a memory differentiation signal to CD8+ T cells during the primary response that impacts the ability of the subsequent memory pool to mount a successful recall response. In this study, we find that although primary effector CTL development is modestly decreased in the absence of IL-2, the persistence of short-term and long-term effector memory CD8+ T cells on pathogen clearance is greatly diminished. Furthermore, secondary challenge of CD8+ memory T cells lacking the high-avidity IL-2R results in a failure to repopulate the effector pool. The role of IL-2 in promoting effector differentiation is not shared with the highly related cytokine, IL-15. Although IL-15 supports the survival of effector CD8+ T cells after pathogen clearance, its absence does not impair either primary or secondary effector CTL differentiation, nor does it impact the differentiation of long-term effector memory CD8+ T cells. These findings indicate a unique role for IL-2, but not IL-15, in promoting the differentiation not only of primary effector CD8+ T cells, but also of CD8+ memory T cells capable of secondary effector differentiation. |
