| First Author | Baaten BJ | Year | 2010 |
| Journal | Immunity | Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 104-15 |
| PubMed ID | 20079666 | Mgi Jnum | J:157703 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:4436797 | Doi | 10.1016/j.immuni.2009.10.011 |
| Citation | Baaten BJ, et al. (2010) CD44 regulates survival and memory development in Th1 cells. Immunity 32(1):104-15 |
| abstractText | Optimal immunity to microorganisms depends upon the regulated death of clonally expanded effector cells and the survival of a cohort of cells that become memory cells. After activation of naive T cells, CD44, a widely expressed receptor for extracellular matrix components, is upregulated. High expression of CD44 remains on memory cells and despite its wide usage as a 'memory marker,' its function is unknown. Here we report that CD44 was essential for the generation of memory T helper 1 (Th1) cells by promoting effector cell survival. This dependency was not found in Th2, Th17, or CD8(+) T cells despite similar expression of CD44 and the absence of splice variants in all subsets. CD44 limited Fas-mediated death in Th1 cells and its ligation engaged the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt kinase signaling pathway that regulates cell survival. The difference in CD44-regulated apoptosis resistance in T cell subpopulations has important implications in a broad spectrum of diseases. |
