Distinct IL‐7 signaling in recent thymic emigrants versus mature naïve T cells controls T‐cell homeostasis

• Published in: European journal of immunology Vol. 46; no. 7; pp. 1669 - 1680
• Main Authors: Kim, Hye Kyung, Waickman, Adam T., Castro, Ehydel, Flomerfelt, Francis A., Hawk, Nga V., Kapoor, Veena, Telford, William G., Gress, Ronald E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2016
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis - genetics; Apoptosis - immunology; Apoptosis ⋅ Bcl‐2 ⋅ Cytokine ⋅ Proliferation ⋅ STAT5; Cell Movement - immunology; Cell Proliferation; Cell Survival - genetics; Cell Survival - immunology; DNA-Binding Proteins - deficiency; Homeostasis; Immunophenotyping; Interleukin-7 - metabolism; Lymphocyte Activation - immunology; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Mice, Transgenic; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - metabolism; Receptors, Interleukin-7 - metabolism; Signal Transduction; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - metabolism; Thymus Gland - immunology; Thymus Gland - metabolism; Apoptosis ⋅ Bcl-2 ⋅ Cytokine ⋅ Proliferation ⋅ STAT5

IL‐7 is essential for T‐cell survival but its availability is limited in vivo. Consequently, all peripheral T cells, including recent thymic emigrants (RTEs) are constantly competing for IL‐7 to survive. RTEs are required to replenish TCR diversity and rejuvenate the peripheral T‐cell pool. However,...