IL-15 complexes induce NK cell and T cell responses independent of type I IFN signalling during rhinovirus infection

Rhinoviruses are the most common virus to infect man causing a range of serious respiratory diseases including exacerbations of asthma and COPD. Type I IFN and IL-15 are thought to be required for antiviral immunity however their function during rhinovirus infection in vivo is undefined. In RV infected human volunteers, IL-15 protein expression in fluid from the nasal mucosa and in bronchial biopsies was increased. In mice, RV induced type I IFN-dependent expression of IL-15 and IL-15Rα which in turn were required for NK- and CD8(+) T-cell responses. Treatment with IL-15-IL-15Rα complexes (IL-15c) boosted RV-induced expression of IL-15, IL-15Rα, IFN-γ, CXCL9 and CXCL10 followed by recruitment of activated, IFN-γ expressing NK, CD8(+) and CD4(+) T cells. Treating infected IFNAR1(−/−) mice with IL-15c similarly increased IL-15, IL-15Rα, IFN-γ and CXCL9 (but not CXCL10) expression also followed by NK-, CD8(+)- and CD4(+)-T cell recruitment and activation. We have demonstrated that type I IFN induced IFN-γ and cellular immunity to RV was mediated by IL-15 and IL-15Rα. Importantly we also show that IL-15 could be induced via a type I IFN-independent mechanism by IL-15 complex treatment which in turn was sufficient to drive IFN-γ expression and lymphocyte responses.