
Lei GUO, Zhehui YIN, Ning ZHANG, Han CHEN, Zhuo WANG, Yuxue HUANG, Jiniu HUANG, Yayu YOU, Chenyun ZHANG, Qinyi BAO, Shuxin LEI, Jun JIANG, Xiaojie XIE. IL-15 aggravates cardiac ischemic injury via impairing macrophage efferocytosis and driving inflammation[J]. Journal of Zhejiang University Science B, 2026, 27(8): 856-871.
@article{title="IL-15 aggravates cardiac ischemic injury via impairing macrophage efferocytosis and driving inflammation",
author="Lei GUO, Zhehui YIN, Ning ZHANG, Han CHEN, Zhuo WANG, Yuxue HUANG, Jiniu HUANG, Yayu YOU, Chenyun ZHANG, Qinyi BAO, Shuxin LEI, Jun JIANG, Xiaojie XIE",
journal="Journal of Zhejiang University Science B",
volume="27",
number="8",
pages="856-871",
year="2026",
publisher="Zhejiang University Press & Springer",
doi="10.1631/jzus.B2500477"
}
%0 Journal Article
%T IL-15 aggravates cardiac ischemic injury via impairing macrophage efferocytosis and driving inflammation
%A Lei GUO
%A Zhehui YIN
%A Ning ZHANG
%A Han CHEN
%A Zhuo WANG
%A Yuxue HUANG
%A Jiniu HUANG
%A Yayu YOU
%A Chenyun ZHANG
%A Qinyi BAO
%A Shuxin LEI
%A Jun JIANG
%A Xiaojie XIE
%J Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE B
%V 27
%N 8
%P 856-871
%@ 1673-1581
%D 2026
%I Zhejiang University Press & Springer
%DOI 10.1631/jzus.B2500477
TY - JOUR
T1 - IL-15 aggravates cardiac ischemic injury via impairing macrophage efferocytosis and driving inflammation
A1 - Lei GUO
A1 - Zhehui YIN
A1 - Ning ZHANG
A1 - Han CHEN
A1 - Zhuo WANG
A1 - Yuxue HUANG
A1 - Jiniu HUANG
A1 - Yayu YOU
A1 - Chenyun ZHANG
A1 - Qinyi BAO
A1 - Shuxin LEI
A1 - Jun JIANG
A1 - Xiaojie XIE
J0 - Journal of Zhejiang University Science B
VL - 27
IS - 8
SP - 856
EP - 871
%@ 1673-1581
Y1 - 2026
PB - Zhejiang University Press & Springer
ER -
DOI - 10.1631/jzus.B2500477
Abstract: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a major global health burden and is characterized by profound cardiac inflammation, apoptotic cell death, and impaired myocardial function. While interleukin-15 (IL-15) has been implicated in immune regulation, its precise role in the pathogenesis of AMI has not been clarified. Therefore, this study sought to delineate the functional role of IL-15 in the progression of AMI, with a particular focus on its influence on macrophage-driven inflammation, efferocytosis, and metabolic reprogramming. IL-15 levels were assessed in AMI patients and murine models. To evaluate the impact of IL-15 on cardiac inflammation, apoptosis, and functional outcomes following AMI, IL-15 and IL-15 receptor α (IL-15Rα) knockout (KO) mouse models were employed. Mechanistic studies were conducted to investigate IL-15-mediated effects on macrophage efferocytosis, polarization, and metabolic remodeling, with an emphasis on nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling and glycolytic flux. Elevated IL-15 levels were detected in both the plasma of AMI patients and the cardiac tissues of murine AMI models, correlating with increased disease severity. The genetic deletion of IL-15 or IL-15Rα significantly ameliorated cardiac injury by reducing inflammation and apoptosis while preserving myocardial function. Mechanistic analyses revealed that IL-15 impaired macrophage efferocytosis via Mer tyrosine kinase (MERTK) downregulation and promoted M1 polarization via NF-κB pathway activation. Furthermore, IL-15 reprogrammed macrophage metabolism by enhancing glycolytic activity. Ultimately, IL-15 restoration exacerbated cardiac ischemic injury following AMI, serving as a critical regulator of macrophage-mediated inflammation in AMI. These findings highlight the role of IL-15 as a potential therapeutic and prognostic target for mitigating cardiac inflammation and improving myocardial recovery in AMI.
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CLC number:
On-line Access: 2026-08-13
Received: 2025-08-09
Revision Accepted: 2025-11-15
Crosschecked: 2026-08-13
Cited: 0
Clicked: 1930
Citations: Bibtex RefMan EndNote GB/T7714
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5934-018X
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8849-7858
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