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Differential effect of IL‐15 and IL‐2 on survival of phytohemagglutinin‐activated umbilical cord blood T cells
Author(s) -
Lin SyhJae,
Cheng PoJen,
Hsiao ShiuShan,
Lin HuiHao,
Hung PeiFen,
Kuo MingLing
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/ajh.20431
Subject(s) - umbilical cord , cd8 , immunology , transplantation , population , cd28 , medicine , cytokine , immune system , cord blood , andrology , t cell , apoptosis , biology , biochemistry , environmental health
Cytokine immunotherapy using interleukin (IL)‐2 and IL‐15 may be beneficial for patients receiving umbilical cord blood (CB) transplantation by ameliorating post‐transplant T‐cell apoptosis. The present study compares the differential effect of IL‐15 and IL‐2 on survival of phytohemagglutinin (PHA)‐activated CB and adult peripheral blood (APB) T lymphocytes. In comparison with IL‐2, IL‐15 preferentially enhanced the survival of CB PHA‐activated T cells by decreasing the caspase‐3 + population and by increasing the Bcl‐2 + population. Activated CB T cells were more susceptible to TNF‐α‐induced apoptosis compared to their adult counterparts. However, the susceptibility could be abrogated by IL‐15 but not by IL‐2. IL‐15 but not IL‐2 down‐regulated CD28 expression on both activated CB and APB CD8 + T cells, with a much greater effect seen with CB. Western‐blot analysis shows that IL‐15 Rα is deficient in CB compared to APB immediately after PHA stimulation, while culturing with IL‐15 significantly enhanced CB IL‐15 Rα expression to levels comparable to that of adults. Thus, IL‐15 may provide a better therapeutic choice for immune reconstitution than IL‐2 post‐CB transplantation due to its preferential survival enhancing effect on CB T cells. Am. J. Hematol. 80:106–112, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.