| First Author | Rich BE | Year | 1993 |
| Journal | J Exp Med | Volume | 177 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 305-16 |
| PubMed ID | 7678850 | Mgi Jnum | J:111200 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3653283 | Doi | 10.1084/jem.177.2.305 |
| Citation | Rich BE, et al. (1993) Cutaneous lymphoproliferation and lymphomas in interleukin 7 transgenic mice. J Exp Med 177(2):305-16 |
| abstractText | To investigate the role of interleukin 7 (IL-7) in the development of the lymphoid system, we have generated two lines of transgenic mice carrying an IL-7 cDNA fused to an immunoglobulin heavy chain promoter and enhancer. This transgene is expressed in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, and skin provoking a perturbation of T cell development characterized by a marked reduction of CD4+ CD8+ (double-positive) thymocytes. Quite unexpectedly, however, both lines also develop a progressive cutaneous disorder involving a dermal lymphoid infiltrate that results in progressive alopecia, hyperkeratosis, and exfoliation. Although the infiltrate is primarily composed of T lineage cells, its development is not impeded in the athymic nu/nu background. Furthermore, the phenotype can be transmitted horizontally by transplanting lymphoid tissues or skin to syngeneic wild-type mice. Thus, the phenotype is conveyed by skin-homing, mobile cells (presumably the infiltrating lymphocytes) in a cell-autonomous fashion. In addition to the skin phenotype, this transgene also provokes the development of a lymphoproliferative disorder that induces B and T cell lymphomas within the first 4 mo of life. These findings suggest potential physiologic actions of IL-7 in T cell development and in cutaneous immunity. They also demonstrate that IL-7 can act as an oncogene in the living organism. |
