Bcl-2 Rescues T Lymphopoiesis in Interleukin-7 Receptor–Deficient Mice
Open Access
- 1 June 1997
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Elsevier BV in Cell
- Vol. 89 (7), 1033-1041
- https://doi.org/10.1016/s0092-8674(00)80291-3
Abstract
Mice lacking functional IL-7 or IL-7Rα genes are severely deficient in developing thymocytes, T cells, and B cells. IL-7 and IL-7 receptor functions are believed to result in lymphoid cell proliferation and cell maturation, implying signal transduction pathways directly involved in mitogenesis and elaboration of developmentally specific new gene programs. Here, we show that enforced expression of the bcl-2 gene in T-lymphoid cells (by crossing in the Eμ-bcl-2 transgene) in IL-7Rα-deficient mice results in a significant restoration of thymic positive selection and T cell numbers and function. We propose cell survival signals to be the principal function of IL-7R engagement in thymic and T cell development.Keywords
This publication has 68 references indexed in Scilit:
- Unexpectedly Complex Regulation of CD4/CD8 Coreceptor Expression Supports a Revised Model for CD4+CD8+ Thymocyte DifferentiationImmunity, 1996
- Positive Selection of ThymocytesAnnual Review of Immunology, 1995
- Development and proliferation of lymphocytes in mice deficient for both interleukins‐2 and ‐4European Journal of Immunology, 1994
- Regulation of RAG‐1 and CD69 expression in the thymus during positive and negative selectionEuropean Journal of Immunology, 1994
- Positive selection of lymphocytesCell, 1994
- Interleukin-2 Receptor γ Chain: a Functional Component of the Interleukin-4 ReceptorScience, 1993
- Interleukin-2 Receptor γ Chain: a Functional Component of the Interleukin-7 ReceptorScience, 1993
- Cloning of the γ Chain of the Human IL-2 ReceptorScience, 1992
- bcl-2 inhibits multiple forms of apoptosis but not negative selection in thymocytesCell, 1991
- Early Events in T-Cell MaturationAnnual Review of Immunology, 1987