Background
IL15RA is a high-affinity receptor for interleukin-15. Il15ra associates as a heterotrimer with the IL-2 receptor beta and gamma subunits to initiate signal transduction. It can signal both in cis and trans where IL15R from one subset of cells presents IL15 to neighboring IL2RG-expressing cells. Il15ra is expressed in special cells including a wide variety of Tand B cells and non-lymphoid cells.IL-15 is a cytokine that regulates T cell and natural killer cell activation and proliferation. IL-15 binds to the alpha subunit of the IL-15RA with high affinity. IL-15 also binds to the beta and gamma chains of the IL-2 receptor, but not the alpha subunit of the IL2 receptor. IL-15 is structurally and functionally related to IL-2. Both cytokines share some subunits of receptors, allowing them to compete for and negatively regulate each other's activity. The number of CD8+ memory T cells is controlled by a balance between IL-15 and IL-2. Despite their many overlapping functional properties, IL-2 and IL-15 are, in fact, quite distinct players in the immune system. IL-15 is constitutively expressed by a wide variety of cell types and tissues, including monocytes, macrophages and DCs.
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