| First Author | Giri JG | Year | 1995 |
| Journal | EMBO J | Volume | 14 |
| Issue | 15 | Pages | 3654-63 |
| PubMed ID | 7641685 | Mgi Jnum | J:28202 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:75827 | Doi | 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1995.tb00035.x |
| Citation | Giri JG, et al. (1995) Identification and cloning of a novel IL-15 binding protein that is structurally related to the alpha chain of the IL-2 receptor. EMBO J 14(15):3654-63 |
| abstractText | Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a novel cytokine of the four-helix bundle family which shares many biological activities with IL-2, probably due to its interaction with the IL-2 receptor beta and gamma (IL-2R beta and gamma c) chains. We report here the characterization and molecular cloning of a distinct murine IL-15R alpha chain. IL-15R alpha alone displays an affinity of binding for IL-15 equivalent to that of the heterotrimeric IL-2R for IL-2. A biologically functional heteromeric IL-15 receptor complex capable of mediating IL-15 responses was generated through reconstruction experiments in a murine myeloid cell line. IL-15R alpha is structurally similar to IL-2R alpha; together they define a new cytokine receptor family. The distribution of IL-15 and IL-15R alpha mRNA suggests that IL-15 may have biological activities distinct from IL-2. |
