IL-15 and IL-2 oppositely regulate expression of the chemokine receptor CX3CR1

The chemokine receptor CX3CR1 (CX3C chemokine receptor 1) is expressed in mouse blood on natural killer (NK) cells and on monocytes. Because interleukin-15 (IL-15) is an essential cytokine for NK cell development and maintenance, we hypothesized that it may induce CX3CR1 expression on this cell type. In contrast, we found that in primary mouse bone marrow-derived NK cells IL-15 specifically inhibited CX3CR1 protein and mRNA accumulation, whereas the related cytokine IL-2 did not inhibit but instead increased CX3CR1 expression. Consistent with this finding, intravenous injection of a single dose of recombinant IL-15 into C57BL/6 mice decreased steady-state CX3CR1 levels 24 hours after injection in freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), splenocytes, and bone marrow cells, and treatment of mouse PBMCs with IL-15 in vitro inhibited CX3CL1 (ligand for CX3CR1)-induced chemotaxis. These data suggest that IL-15 may be a negative regulator of innate immunity by inhibiting CX3CR1 expression. These data also suggest that IL-15 inhibition of CX3CR1 may subvert potential cell immunotherapy strategies in which IL-15 is used to expand NK cell populations in vivo or ex vivo. Finally, our results provide additional evidence for differential signaling by IL-2 and IL-15, despite usage of common βγc receptor chains. (Blood. 2003;102:3494-3503)