| First Author | Iseki M | Year | 2012 |
| Journal | Int Immunol | Volume | 24 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 183-95 |
| PubMed ID | 22281511 | Mgi Jnum | J:182756 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5316546 | Doi | 10.1093/intimm/dxr113 |
| Citation | Iseki M, et al. (2012) Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP)-induced polyclonal B-cell activation and autoimmunity are mediated by CD4+ T cells and IL-4. Int Immunol 24(3):183-95 |
| abstractText | The cytokine thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) functions as a regulator of bone marrow B-cell development and a key initiator of allergic inflammation. In the current study, we show that mature B cells, derived from transgenic mice with systemically elevated levels of TSLP (K5-TSLP mice), exhibit markedly enhanced mitogenic responses in vitro and that this enhanced responsiveness leads to polyclonal B-cell activation and development of autoimmune hemolytic anemia in vivo. In contrast, B cells derived from K5-TSLP mice lacking CD4(+) T cells failed to show polyclonal activation. Furthermore, neither mature B-cell activation nor hemolytic anemia occurred in IL-4-deficient K5-TSLP mice. Consistent with these findings, activation of mature B cells occurred independently of B-cell intrinsic TSLP signals. Taken together, our results demonstrate that systemic alterations in TSLP, through induction of IL-4 from CD4(+) T cells and other cell types, functions as an important factor in peripheral B-cell homeostasis and promotion of humoral autoimmunity. |
