Description: The ct2nu monoclonal antibody reacts with human IL-15 and neutralizes its bioactivity. IL-15, or IL-T, is a 14 kDa proinflammatory cytokine and member of the IL-2 family. It plays a role in the development and maturation of macrophages and dendritic cells, and is essential to the proliferation and survival of NK cells and CD8+ T cells.
IL-15 is expressed by antigen-presenting cells, epithelial cells, and stromal cells. IL-15 activates the Jak/STAT pathway through its heterotrimeric receptor. Two subunits of this receptor, the β and γ chains, are shared with the rest of the family, while the α subunit is unique to IL-15. In mice, the α chain is required to chaperone IL-15 from the ER to secretion. This chaperoning is not necessary in humans, and free IL-15 is detectable in human biological samples. However, the receptor-cytokine complex has been indentified in humans and demonstrates agonistic activity several-fold higher than IL-15 alone.