| First Author | Laky K | Year | 1998 |
| Journal | J Immunol | Volume | 161 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 707-13 |
| PubMed ID | 9670946 | Mgi Jnum | J:111525 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3654368 | Doi | 10.4049/jimmunol.161.2.707 |
| Citation | Laky K, et al. (1998) The role of IL-7 in thymic and extrathymic development of TCR gamma delta cells. J Immunol 161(2):707-13 |
| abstractText | IL-7-deficient (IL-7(-/-)) mice have reduced numbers of B and TCR alpha beta cells, but lack mature TCR gamma delta cells. Although most T cell development occurs in the thymus, some intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL), including TCR gamma delta cells, can develop extrathymically. Epithelial cells in both thymus and intestine synthesize IL-7, suggesting that TCR gamma delta cell development could occur in either site. To evaluate the role of thymic IL-7 in development of TCR gamma delta cells, newborn TCR beta-deficient (TCR beta(-/-)) thymi were grafted to IL-7(-/-) mice. Donor- and host-derived TCR gamma delta cells were recovered from thymus grafts, spleen, and IEL. However, when IL-7(-/-) thymi were grafted to TCR beta(-/-) mice, no development of graft-derived TCR gamma delta cells occurred, indicating that extrathymic IL-7 did not support TCR gamma delta IEL generation from newborn thymic precursors. In contrast, TCR gamma delta IEL development occurred efficiently in adult, thymectomized, irradiated C57BL/6J mice reconstituted with IL-7(-/-) bone marrow. This demonstrated that extrathymic development of TCR gamma delta IEL required extrathymic IL-7 production. Thus, intrathymic IL-7 was required for development of thymic TCR gamma delta cells, while peripheral IL-7 was sufficient for development of extrathymic TCR gamma delta IEL. |
