2006. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2006 Dec;25(4):529-36. IL-15 an immunoregulatory and anti-cancer cytokine. Recent advances. Shanmugham LN, Petrarca C, Frydas S, Donelan J, Castellani ML, Boucher W, Madhappan B, Tete' S, Falasca K, Conti P, Vecchiet J.

Interleukins are mediators of inflammation, immunity and cancer. IL-15 is a cytokine produced by several leukocytes including phagocytes in response to infections and other signals that trigger innate immunity. IL-15 has many homologies to interleukin-2 (IL-2) and like IL-2, stimulates NK cells. This cytokine acts also on memory CD8+ T-cell. IL-15, therefore acts, probably through selective inhibition of tumor promoting molecules, as a new compound for the adjuvant treatment of solid tumors. In this review we propose a newly revised mechanism of interleukin 15 in inflammation and cancer. PMID: 17310844