IL-15 Active Protein

This gene encodes a a pleiotropic cytokine of the interleukin family of proteins that plays important roles in the innate and adaptive cell homeostasis, as well as peripheral immune function. The encoded protein undergoes proteolytic processing to generate a mature cytokine that stimulates the proliferation of natural killer cells. The transgenic mice overexpressing the encoded protein exhibit an increase in the number of memory CD8+ T cells in a naive state and enhanced protection against bacterial infections. Mice lacking the encoded protein exhibit impaired protection against a strain of attenuated Mycobacterium. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2016]

IL15: Cytokine that stimulates the proliferation of T- lymphocytes. Stimulation by IL-15 requires interaction of IL-15 with components of IL-2R, including IL-2R beta and probably IL-2R gamma but not IL-2R alpha. Belongs to the IL-15/IL-21 family. 2 isoforms of the human protein are produced by alternative splicing.

Protein type: Cytokine; Cell cycle regulation; Secreted; Secreted, signal peptide

Cellular Component: nucleoplasm; extracellular space; cell surface; cytoplasm; extracellular region

Molecular Function: hematopoietin/interferon-class (D200-domain) cytokine receptor binding; cytokine activity

Biological Process: positive regulation of interleukin-17 production; positive regulation of natural killer cell proliferation; positive regulation of immune response; NK T cell proliferation; negative regulation of smooth muscle cell proliferation; cell maturation; signal transduction; lymph node development; positive regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat3 protein; positive regulation of natural killer cell differentiation; extrathymic T cell selection; natural killer cell differentiation; positive regulation of cell proliferation; immune response; regulation of T cell differentiation; positive regulation of T cell proliferation; regulation of defense response to virus by host; hyaluronan metabolic process