Interleukin-15

Cytokine that plays a major role in the development of inflammatory and protective immune responses to microbial invaders and parasites by modulating immune cells of both the innate and adaptive immune systems (PubMed:15123770). Stimulates the proliferation of natural killer cells, T-cells and B-cells and promotes the secretion of several cytokines (PubMed:8178155, PubMed:9326248). In monocytes, induces the production of IL8 and monocyte chemotactic protein 1/CCL2, two chemokines that attract neutrophils and monocytes respectively to sites of infection (PubMed:9326248). Unlike most cytokines, which are secreted in soluble form, IL15 is expressed in association with its high affinity IL15RA on the surface of IL15-producing cells and delivers signals to target cells that express IL2RB and IL2RG receptor subunits (PubMed:10233906, PubMed:23104097, PubMed:8026467). Binding to its receptor triggers the phosphorylation of JAK1 and JAK3 and the recruitment and subsequent phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3/STAT3 and STAT5 (PubMed:7568001). In mast cells, induces the rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT6 and thereby controls mast cell survival and release of cytokines such as IL4 (By similarity)