| First Author | Wojciechowski S | Year | 2007 |
| Journal | J Exp Med | Volume | 204 |
| Issue | 7 | Pages | 1665-75 |
| PubMed ID | 17591857 | Mgi Jnum | J:125868 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3760056 | Doi | 10.1084/jem.20070618 |
| Citation | Wojciechowski S, et al. (2007) Bim/Bcl-2 balance is critical for maintaining naive and memory T cell homeostasis. J Exp Med 204(7):1665-75 |
| abstractText | We examined the role of the antiapoptotic molecule Bcl-2 in combating the proapoptotic molecule Bim in control of naive and memory T cell homeostasis using Bcl-2(-/-) mice that were additionally deficient in one or both alleles of Bim. Naive T cells were significantly decreased in Bim(+/-)Bcl-2(-/-) mice, but were largely restored in Bim(-/-)Bcl-2(-/-) mice. Similarly, a synthetic Bcl-2 inhibitor killed wild-type, but not Bim(-/-), T cells. Further, T cells from Bim(+/-)Bcl-2(-/-) mice died rapidly ex vivo and were refractory to cytokine-driven survival in vitro. In vivo, naive CD8(+) T cells required Bcl-2 to combat Bim to maintain peripheral survival, whereas naive CD4(+) T cells did not. In contrast, Bim(+/-)Bcl-2(-/-) mice generated relatively normal numbers of memory T cells after lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection. Accumulation of memory T cells in Bim(+/-)Bcl-2(-/-) mice was likely caused by their increased proliferative renewal because of the lymphopenic environment of the mice. Collectively, these data demonstrate a critical role for a balance between Bim and Bcl-2 in controlling homeostasis of naive and memory T cells. |
