Interleukin-15 and its receptor (IL-15Rα) serve as new therapeutic implications for Beh?et's disease

摘要

We have read Choe et al. [1] newly published paper with great interest, which found a strong correlation between serum Interleukin-15 (IL-15) and Interleukin-15 receptor a (IL-15Ralpha) levels and Behcet's disease (BD). In this important and well-designed study, the authors reported that serum IL-15 levels in BD patients were significantly higher than those of healthy controls, systemic lupus ery-thematosus (SLE), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Furthermore, serum IL-15 levels in BD were closely associated with erythrocyte sediment rate, but not to C-reactive protein or the BD clinical activity index. Additionally, the proportions of IL-15Ralpha-positive cells on leukocytes from SLE, RA, and BD patients are significantly lower than those of healthy controls [1]. This study brings new insights that IL-15 and IL-15Ralpha may play an important role in inflammatory process and pathogenesis of BD.