AUTHOR=Cai Menghan , Huang Xuan , Huang Xiting , Ju Dianwen , Zhu Yi Zhun , Ye Li TITLE=Research progress of interleukin-15 in cancer immunotherapy JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2023.1184703 DOI=10.3389/fphar.2023.1184703 ISSN=1663-9812 ABSTRACT=Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a cytokine that belongs to the interleukin-2 (IL-2) family and is essential for the development, proliferation, and activation of immune cells, including natural killer (NK) cells, T cells and B cells. Recent studies have revealed that IL-15 also plays a critical role in cancer immunotherapy. IL-15 agonist molecules have shown that IL-15 agonists are effective in inhibiting tumor growth and preventing metastasis, and some are undergoing clinical trials. In this review, we will summarize the recent progress in IL-15 research over the past five years, highlighting its potential applications in cancer immunotherapy and the progress of IL-15 agonist development.