BAFF suppresses IL-15 expression in B cells

J Immunol. 2014 May 1;192(9):4192-201. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1302132. Epub 2014 Mar 26.

Abstract

Clinical trials have shown that BAFF inhibitors do not reduce memory B cell levels but can reduce the number of mature B cells. It remains uncertain whether BAFF affects memory-maintaining cytokines such as IL-15. We found that BAFF suppressed IL-15 expression in B cells from lupus-like or experimental allergic encephalomyelitis mice. When BAFF was blocked with atacicept-IgG, IL-15 expression was upregulated in lupus-like or experimental allergic encephalomyelitis mice. Finally, we showed that BAFF suppressed IL-15 expression in transitional 2 B cells by reducing Foxo1 expression and inducing Foxo1 phosphorylation. This study suggests that BAFF suppresses IL-15 expression in autoimmune diseases, and this opens up the possible opportunity for the clinical application of BAFF- and IL-15-specific therapeutic agents.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / metabolism
  • B-Cell Activating Factor / immunology*
  • B-Cell Activating Factor / metabolism
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • B-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Blotting, Western
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / immunology
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / metabolism
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-15 / biosynthesis*
  • Interleukin-15 / immunology
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / blood
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Multiple Sclerosis / blood
  • Multiple Sclerosis / immunology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • B-Cell Activating Factor
  • Interleukin-15