Mice Lacking Interleukin-2 (IL-2)/IL-15 Receptor β Chain Are Susceptible to Infection with Avirulent Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Serovar Choleraesuis but Mice Lacking IL-2 Are Resistant

Interleukin-2 (IL-2)/IL-15 receptor β (IL-15Rβ)(−/−) mice were susceptible to infection with avirulent Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Choleraesuis, whereas IL-2(−/−) mice were resistant. A natural killer cell response was not evident for both types of deficient mice. A Th1 response was detected in IL-2(−/−) but not in IL-2/IL-15Rβ(−/−) mice infected with Salmonella, suggesting that IL-2/IL-15Rβ signaling is important for the generation of protective Th1 cells.