U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination

IL15 interleukin 15 [ Homo sapiens (human) ]

Gene ID: 3600, updated on 17-Mar-2024

Summary

Official Symbol
IL15provided by HGNC
Official Full Name
interleukin 15provided by HGNC
Primary source
HGNC:HGNC:5977
See related
Ensembl:ENSG00000164136 MIM:600554; AllianceGenome:HGNC:5977
Gene type
protein coding
RefSeq status
REVIEWED
Organism
Homo sapiens
Lineage
Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia; Eutheria; Euarchontoglires; Primates; Haplorrhini; Catarrhini; Hominidae; Homo
Also known as
IL-15
Summary
The protein encoded by this gene is a cytokine that regulates T and natural killer cell activation and proliferation. This cytokine and interleukine 2 share many biological activities. They are found to bind common hematopoietin receptor subunits, and may compete for the same receptor, and thus negatively regulate each other's activity. The number of CD8+ memory cells is shown to be controlled by a balance between this cytokine and IL2. This cytokine induces the activation of JAK kinases, as well as the phosphorylation and activation of transcription activators STAT3, STAT5, and STAT6. Studies of the mouse counterpart suggested that this cytokine may increase the expression of apoptosis inhibitor BCL2L1/BCL-x(L), possibly through the transcription activation activity of STAT6, and thus prevent apoptosis. Alternatively spliced transcript variants of this gene have been reported. [provided by RefSeq, Feb 2011]
Expression
Ubiquitous expression in spleen (RPKM 3.4), thyroid (RPKM 2.4) and 23 other tissues See more
Orthologs
NEW
Try the new Gene table
Try the new Transcript table

Genomic context

See IL15 in Genome Data Viewer
Location:
4q31.21
Exon count:
10
Annotation release Status Assembly Chr Location
RS_2023_10 current GRCh38.p14 (GCF_000001405.40) 4 NC_000004.12 (141636583..141733987)
RS_2023_10 current T2T-CHM13v2.0 (GCF_009914755.1) 4 NC_060928.1 (144953939..145051309)
105.20220307 previous assembly GRCh37.p13 (GCF_000001405.25) 4 NC_000004.11 (142557736..142655140)

Chromosome 4 - NC_000004.12Genomic Context describing neighboring genes Neighboring gene BRD4-independent group 4 enhancer GRCh37_chr4:142252666-142253865 Neighboring gene H3K4me1 hESC enhancer GRCh37_chr4:142299040-142299540 Neighboring gene long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 2432 Neighboring gene CDK7 strongly-dependent group 2 enhancer GRCh37_chr4:142501441-142502640 Neighboring gene OCT4-NANOG hESC enhancer GRCh37_chr4:142546083-142546797 Neighboring gene long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 2276 Neighboring gene ATAC-STARR-seq lymphoblastoid active region 21938 Neighboring gene H3K4me1 hESC enhancer GRCh37_chr4:142628696-142629196 Neighboring gene MPRA-validated peak5125 silencer Neighboring gene NANOG-H3K27ac-H3K4me1 hESC enhancer GRCh37_chr4:142803658-142804281 Neighboring gene H3K27ac-H3K4me1 hESC enhancer GRCh37_chr4:142804282-142804904 Neighboring gene OCT4-NANOG hESC enhancer GRCh37_chr4:142823512-142824114 Neighboring gene inositol polyphosphate-4-phosphatase type II B Neighboring gene ribosomal protein L5 pseudogene 13 Neighboring gene LSM3 homolog, U6 small nuclear RNA and mRNA degradation associated pseudogene 4

Genomic regions, transcripts, and products

Expression

  • Project title: HPA RNA-seq normal tissues
  • Description: RNA-seq was performed of tissue samples from 95 human individuals representing 27 different tissues in order to determine tissue-specificity of all protein-coding genes
  • BioProject: PRJEB4337
  • Publication: PMID 24309898
  • Analysis date: Wed Apr 4 07:08:55 2018

Bibliography

GeneRIFs: Gene References Into Functions

What's a GeneRIF?

Phenotypes

EBI GWAS Catalog

Description
Genome-wide interrogation of germline genetic variation associated with treatment response in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
EBI GWAS Catalog

HIV-1 interactions

Protein interactions

Protein Gene Interaction Pubs
Envelope surface glycoprotein gp120 env HIV-1 gp120 modulates expression of the cytokines IL1beta, IL3, IL6, IL10, IL13, IL15, IFNbeta2A, IFNgamma, IFNomega, TNFalpha, VEGF, VEGF B, and LIF in PBMCs and MDMs PubMed
Nef nef IL-1beta, IL-12, and IL-15 are factors involved in the upregulation of IFN-gamma expression in coculture between Nef-pulsed iDCs and NK cells PubMed
nef Exogenous HIV-1 Nef protein induces the proliferation of unstimulated and suboptimally stimulated normal human PBMC through upregulation of IL-15 synthesis in the monocyte/macrophage population PubMed
Tat tat HIV-1 Tat upregulates the expression of interleukin 15 (IL15) gene in mammary epithelial cells PubMed
capsid gag Unactivated memory CD4+ T cells infected by HIV-1 in the presence of IL-2 and IL-15 alone or IL-6/IL-7/TNF-alpha combination, upregulate granzyme B and HIV-1 CA production PubMed
integrase gag-pol Treatment of resting CD4+ T cells with cytokines IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, or IL15 enhances HIV-1 IN mutant D116N to generate de novo virus production PubMed
matrix gag HIV-1 Matrix is able to reduce MIP-1alpha secretion from IL-15-stimulated monocyte cells PubMed
gag HIV-1 Matrix slightly enhances TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma secretion induced by IL-15 monocyte stimulation and counteracts IL-4 mediated inhibition of the production of these cytokines PubMed
gag HIV-1 Matrix upregulates levels of IL-2, IL-12 and IL-15 in natural killer cells and induces natural killer cell proliferation PubMed

Go to the HIV-1, Human Interaction Database

Pathways from PubChem

Interactions

Products Interactant Other Gene Complex Source Pubs Description

General gene information

Markers

Clone Names

  • MGC9721

Gene Ontology Provided by GOA

Function Evidence Code Pubs
enables cytokine activity IBA
Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor
more info
 
enables cytokine activity IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
PubMed 
enables cytokine receptor binding IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
 
enables protein binding IPI
Inferred from Physical Interaction
more info
PubMed 
Process Evidence Code Pubs
involved_in NK T cell proliferation IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
 
involved_in cell maturation IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
 
involved_in cell-cell signaling TAS
Traceable Author Statement
more info
PubMed 
involved_in extrathymic T cell selection IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
 
involved_in immune response IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
 
involved_in interleukin-15-mediated signaling pathway IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
PubMed 
involved_in lymph node development IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
 
involved_in macrophage differentiation IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
PubMed 
involved_in natural killer cell differentiation IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
 
involved_in natural killer cell proliferation IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
 
involved_in negative regulation of cold-induced thermogenesis ISS
Inferred from Sequence or Structural Similarity
more info
PubMed 
involved_in neutrophil activation IBA
Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor
more info
 
involved_in neutrophil activation IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
PubMed 
involved_in positive regulation of T cell proliferation IBA
Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor
more info
 
involved_in positive regulation of cell population proliferation TAS
Traceable Author Statement
more info
PubMed 
involved_in positive regulation of cytokine production IBA
Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor
more info
 
involved_in positive regulation of immune response IBA
Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor
more info
 
involved_in positive regulation of inflammatory response IC
Inferred by Curator
more info
PubMed 
involved_in positive regulation of interleukin-17 production IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
PubMed 
involved_in positive regulation of natural killer cell differentiation IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
 
involved_in positive regulation of natural killer cell proliferation IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
 
involved_in positive regulation of peptidyl-tyrosine phosphorylation IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
PubMed 
involved_in positive regulation of phagocytosis IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
PubMed 
involved_in positive regulation of protein O-linked glycosylation IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
 
involved_in positive regulation of tissue remodeling IC
Inferred by Curator
more info
PubMed 
involved_in positive regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT protein IBA
Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor
more info
 
involved_in regulation of T cell differentiation IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
 
involved_in regulation of defense response to virus by host IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
 
involved_in signal transduction TAS
Traceable Author Statement
more info
PubMed 
involved_in tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT protein IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
PubMed 
Component Evidence Code Pubs
located_in Golgi apparatus TAS
Traceable Author Statement
more info
PubMed 
located_in cytoplasm TAS
Traceable Author Statement
more info
PubMed 
located_in cytosol IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
 
located_in endosome TAS
Traceable Author Statement
more info
 
located_in extracellular region NAS
Non-traceable Author Statement
more info
PubMed 
located_in extracellular region TAS
Traceable Author Statement
more info
 
is_active_in extracellular space IBA
Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor
more info
 
is_active_in extracellular space IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
PubMed 
located_in nuclear speck IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
 
located_in nucleoplasm IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
 

NCBI Reference Sequences (RefSeq)

NEW Try the new Transcript table

RefSeqs maintained independently of Annotated Genomes

These reference sequences exist independently of genome builds. Explain

These reference sequences are curated independently of the genome annotation cycle, so their versions may not match the RefSeq versions in the current genome build. Identify version mismatches by comparing the version of the RefSeq in this section to the one reported in Genomic regions, transcripts, and products above.

Genomic

  1. NG_029605.2 RefSeqGene

    Range
    4988..102392
    Download
    GenBank, FASTA, Sequence Viewer (Graphics)

mRNA and Protein(s)

  1. NM_000585.5 → NP_000576.1  interleukin-15 isoform 1 preproprotein

    See identical proteins and their annotated locations for NP_000576.1

    Status: REVIEWED

    Description
    Transcript Variant: This variant (3) represents the shortest transcript and encodes the longer isoform (1, also known as 48aa(LSP)-IL15).
    Source sequence(s)
    AA897685, AC096774, AC118480, BX116580, CX761071
    Consensus CDS
    CCDS3755.1
    UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot
    D3DNZ2, O00440, O43512, P40933, Q495Z8, Q6FGX7, Q93058, Q9UBA3
    Related
    ENSP00000323505.4, ENST00000320650.9
    Conserved Domains (1) summary
    pfam02372
    Location:33 → 154
    IL15; Interleukin 15
  2. NM_172175.3 → NP_751915.1  interleukin-15 isoform 2 preproprotein

    See identical proteins and their annotated locations for NP_751915.1

    Status: REVIEWED

    Description
    Transcript Variant: This variant (2) differs in the 5' UTR and contains an alternate exon in the 5' coding region. This variant uses an alternate downstream start codon, compared to variant 1. Isoform 2 (also known as (21aa(SSP)-IL15) has a shorter and distinct N-terminus, compared to isoform 1.
    Source sequence(s)
    AA897685, AC096774, AC118480, AK290619, BX116580, CX761071
    Consensus CDS
    CCDS3756.1
    UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot
    P40933
    Related
    ENSP00000422271.1, ENST00000514653.5
    Conserved Domains (1) summary
    pfam02372
    Location:10 → 127
    IL15; Interleukin 15

RNA

  1. NR_037840.3 RNA Sequence

    Status: REVIEWED

    Description
    Transcript Variant: This variant (1) has an alternate 5' exon, compared to variant 3. This variant is represented as non-coding due to the presence of an upstream ORF that is predicted to interfere with translation of the longest ORF; translation of the upstream ORF renders the transcript a candidate for nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD).
    Source sequence(s)
    AA897685, AC096774, AC118480, BC018149, CX761071

RefSeqs of Annotated Genomes: GCF_000001405.40-RS_2023_10

The following sections contain reference sequences that belong to a specific genome build. Explain

Reference GRCh38.p14 Primary Assembly

Genomic

  1. NC_000004.12 Reference GRCh38.p14 Primary Assembly

    Range
    141636583..141733987
    Download
    GenBank, FASTA, Sequence Viewer (Graphics)

Alternate T2T-CHM13v2.0

Genomic

  1. NC_060928.1 Alternate T2T-CHM13v2.0

    Range
    144953939..145051309
    Download
    GenBank, FASTA, Sequence Viewer (Graphics)

Suppressed Reference Sequence(s)

The following Reference Sequences have been suppressed. Explain

  1. NM_172174.2: Suppressed sequence

    Description
    NM_172174.2: This RefSeq was permanently suppressed because it is a nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) candidate.