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IL-15 in HIV infection: pathogenic or therapeutic potential?

Yvonne M. Mueller, Peter D. Katsikis

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Center for Immunology and Vaccine Sciences, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

* Corresponding Author: P.D. Katsikis,

European Cytokine Network 2010, 21(3), 219-221. https://doi.org/10.1684/ecn.2010.0198

Accepted 27 June 2010;

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that interleukin-15 (IL-15) is produced during acute HIV and SIVinfection, and may impact viremia and viral set point. This is further supported by the findings that administra-tion of IL-15 during acute SIV infection dramatically increases viral set point. Although the role of intrinsicIL-15 during chronic infection is much less defined, in vivo administration of IL-15 does not increase viral repli-cation in SIV-infected animals. Recent data also suggest that IL-15 acts, not only on CD8+ T cells and naturalkiller cells, but also on effector memory CD4+ T cells. IL-15 clearly expands very different CD4+ T cell subpo-pulations than IL-2 in SIV-infected animals, and may be useful for the restoration of effector memory CD4+T cells that are depleted early in HIV and SIV infection. Understanding IL-15’s role in SIV infection may helpus to design novel therapeutic approaches to HIV infection.

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