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Published in Volume 101, Issue 6 (March 15,1998)
J. Clin. Invest. 101(6): 1261-1272 (1998). doi:10.1172/JCI1986.
Copyright © 1998, The American Society for Clinical Investigation.

Research Article

Interleukin 15 is produced by endothelial cells and increases the transendothelial migration of T cells In vitro and in the SCID mouse-human rheumatoid arthritis model In vivo.

N Oppenheimer-Marks, R I Brezinschek, M Mohamadzadeh, R Vita and P E Lipsky

Rheumatic Diseases Division of the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas 75235-8577, USA. mmarks@mednet.swmed.edu

Published March 15, 1998

The capacity of endothelial cells (EC) to produce IL-15 and the capacity of IL-15 to influence transendothelial migration of T cells was examined. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells expressed both IL-15 mRNA and protein. Moreover, endothelial-derived IL-15 enhanced transendothelial migration of T cells as evidenced by the inhibition of this process by blocking monoclonal antibodies to IL-15. IL-15 enhanced transendothelial migration of T cells by activating the binding capacity of the integrin adhesion molecule LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18) and also increased T cell motility. In addition, IL-15 induced expression of the early activation molecule CD69. The importance of IL-15 in regulating migration of T cells in vivo was documented by its capacity to enhance accumulation of adoptively transferred human T cells in rheumatoid arthritis synovial tissue engrafted into immune deficient SCID mice. These results demonstrate that EC produce IL-15 and imply that endothelial IL-15 plays a critical role in stimulation of T cells to extravasate into inflammatory tissue.

This article Copyright © 1998, The American Society for Clinical Investigation.

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