| First Author | Gratz IK | Year | 2013 |
| Journal | J Immunol | Volume | 190 |
| Issue | 9 | Pages | 4483-7 |
| PubMed ID | 23543753 | Mgi Jnum | J:195509 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5484702 | Doi | 10.4049/jimmunol.1300212 |
| Citation | Gratz IK, et al. (2013) Cutting Edge: Memory Regulatory T Cells Require IL-7 and Not IL-2 for Their Maintenance in Peripheral Tissues. J Immunol 190(9):4483-7 |
| abstractText | Thymic Foxp3-expressing regulatory T cells are activated by peripheral self-antigen to increase their suppressive function, and a fraction of these cells survive as memory regulatory T cells (mTregs). mTregs persist in nonlymphoid tissue after cessation of Ag expression and have enhanced capacity to suppress tissue-specific autoimmunity. In this study, we show that murine mTregs express specific effector memory T cell markers and localize preferentially to hair follicles in skin. Memory Tregs express high levels of both IL-2Ralpha and IL-7Ralpha. Using a genetic-deletion approach, we show that IL-2 is required to generate mTregs from naive CD4(+) T cell precursors in vivo. However, IL-2 is not required to maintain these cells in the skin and skin-draining lymph nodes. Conversely, IL-7 is essential for maintaining mTregs in skin in the steady state. These results elucidate the fundamental biology of mTregs and show that IL-7 plays an important role in their survival in skin. |
