Interleukin-15 in obesity and metabolic dysfunction: current understanding and future perspectives

Obesity rises rapidly and is a major health concern for modern people. Importantly, it is a major risk factor in the development of numerous chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recently, interleukin (IL)-15 has attracted considerable attention as a potential regulator for the prevention and/or treatment of obesity and T2DM. The beneficial effects include increased loss of fat mass and body weight, improved lipid and glucose metabolism, reduced white adipose tissue inflammation, enhanced mitochondrial function, alterations in the composition of muscle fibres and gut bacterial and attenuated endoplasmic reticulum stress. Although these beneficial effects are somewhat controversial, IL-15, exogenously delivered or endogenously produced, may be a promising target in the prevention and treatment of obesity and T2DM.