| First Author | Li Y | Year | 2005 |
| Journal | J Immunol | Volume | 174 |
| Issue | 7 | Pages | 4019-24 |
| PubMed ID | 15778359 | Mgi Jnum | J:97951 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3576812 | Doi | 10.4049/jimmunol.174.7.4019 |
| Citation | Li Y, et al. (2005) IL-15 activates telomerase and minimizes telomere loss and may preserve the replicative life span of memory CD8+ T cells in vitro. J Immunol 174(7):4019-24 |
| abstractText | The preservation of the replicative life span of memory CD8(+) T cells is vital for long-term immune protection. Although IL-15 plays a key role in the homeostasis of memory CD8(+) T cells, it is unknown whether IL-15 regulates the replicative life span of memory CD8(+) T cells. In this study, we report an analysis of telomerase expression and telomere length in human memory phenotype CD8(+) T cells maintained by IL-15 in vitro. We demonstrate that IL-15 is capable of activating telomerase in memory CD8(+) T cells via Jak3 and PI3K signaling pathways. Furthermore, IL-15 induces a sustained level of telomerase activity over long periods of time, and in turn minimizes telomere loss in memory CD8(+) T cells after substantial cell divisions. These findings suggest that IL-15 activates stable telomerase expression and compensates telomere loss in memory phenotype CD8(+) T cells, and that telomerase may play an important role in memory CD8(+) T cell homeostasis. |
