| First Author | Umemura M | Year | 2001 |
| Journal | J Immunol | Volume | 167 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 946-56 |
| PubMed ID | 11441103 | Mgi Jnum | J:132479 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3776007 | Doi | 10.4049/jimmunol.167.2.946 |
| Citation | Umemura M, et al. (2001) Overexpression of IL-15 in vivo enhances protection against Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin infection via augmentation of NK and T cytotoxic 1 responses. J Immunol 167(2):946-56 |
| abstractText | To investigate the immunomodulating effects of IL-15 in vivo on mycobacterial infection, we used IL-15-transgenic (Tg) mice, which were recently constructed with cDNA-encoding secretable isoform of IL-15 precursor protein under the control of a MHC class I promoter. The IL-15-Tg mice exhibited resistance against infection with Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), as assessed by bacteria growth. IFN-gamma level in serum was significantly higher in IL-15-Tg mice than in non-Tg mice after BCG infection. NK cells were remarkably increased, and Ag-specific T cytotoxic 1 response mediated by CD8+ T cells producing IFN-gamma was significantly augmented in the IL-15-Tg mice following BCG infection. Neutralization of endogenous IFN-gamma by in vivo administration of anti-IFN-gamma mAb deteriorated the clearance of the bacteria. Depletion of of NK cells or CD8+ T cells by in vivo administration of anti-asialo-GM(1) Ab or anti-CD8 mAb hampered the exclusion of bacteria. Thus, overexpression of IL-15 in vivo enhanced protection against BCG infection via augmentation of NK and T cytotoxic 1 responses. |
