Home | Help | Feedback | Subscriptions | Archive | Search | Table of Contents

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) PPT slides of all figures Alert me when this article is cited Citation Map Services Email this article Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new content in the JEM Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dooms, H. Articles by Abbas, A. K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Dooms, H. Articles by Abbas, A. K. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Interleukin-2 enhances CD4⁺ T cell memory by promoting the generation of IL-7R–expressing cells

Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143

CORRESPONDENCE Abul K. Abbas: Abul.Abbas{at}ucsf.edu

The common chain cytokines interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-7 are important regulators of T cell homeostasis. Although IL-2 is implicated in the acute phase of the T cell response, IL-7 is important for memory T cell survival. We asked whether regulated responsiveness to these growth factors is determined by temporal expression of the cytokine-specific IL-2 receptor (R) and IL-7R chains. We demonstrate that IL-2R is expressed early after priming in T cell receptor–transgenic CD4⁺ T cells, whereas IL-7R expression is lost. In the later stage of the response, IL-7R is reexpressed while IL-2R expression is silenced. This reciprocal pattern of IL-2R/IL-7R expression is disturbed when CD4⁺ T cells are primed in the absence of IL-2 signals. Primed IL-2^–/– or CD25^–/– (IL-2R^–/–) CD4⁺ T cells, despite showing normal induction of activation markers and cell division, fail to reexpress IL-7R late in the response. Because the generation of CD4⁺ memory T cells is dependent on IL-7–IL-7R interactions, primed IL-2^–/– or CD25^–/– CD4⁺ T cells develop poorly into long-lived memory cells. Retrovirus-mediated expression of IL-7R in IL-2^–/– T cells restores their capacity for long-term survival. These results identify IL-2 as a factor regulating IL-7R expression and, consequently, memory T cell homeostasis in vivo.

Abbreviations used: CFSE, carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester; c, chain; MFI, mean fluorescence intensity.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• O'Connor, B. P., Eun, S.-Y., Ye, Z., Zozulya, A. L., Lich, J. D., Moore, C. B., Iocca, H. A., Roney, K. E., Holl, E. K., Wu, Q. P., van Deventer, H. W., Fabry, Z., Ting, J. P.-Y. (2008). Semaphorin 6D regulates the late phase of CD4+ T cell primary immune responses. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105: 13015-13020 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Whitmire, J. K., Benning, N., Eam, B., Whitton, J. L. (2008). Increasing the CD4+ T Cell Precursor Frequency Leads to Competition for IFN-{gamma} Thereby Degrading Memory Cell Quantity and Quality. J. Immunol. 180: 6777-6785 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chandele, A., Joshi, N. S., Zhu, J., Paul, W. E., Leonard, W. J., Kaech, S. M. (2008). Formation of IL-7R{alpha}high and IL-7R{alpha}low CD8 T Cells during Infection Is Regulated by the Opposing Functions of GABP{alpha} and Gfi-1. J. Immunol. 180: 5309-5319 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Haring, J. S., Jing, X., Bollenbacher-Reilley, J., Xue, H.-H., Leonard, W. J., Harty, J. T. (2008). Constitutive Expression of IL-7 Receptor {alpha} Does Not Support Increased Expansion or Prevent Contraction of Antigen-Specific CD4 or CD8 T Cells following Listeria monocytogenes Infection. J. Immunol. 180: 2855-2862 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Potter, S. J., Lacabaratz, C., Lambotte, O., Perez-Patrigeon, S., Vingert, B., Sinet, M., Colle, J.-H., Urrutia, A., Scott-Algara, D., Boufassa, F., Delfraissy, J.-F., Theze, J., Venet, A., Chakrabarti, L. A. (2007). Preserved Central Memory and Activated Effector Memory CD4+ T-Cell Subsets in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Controllers: an ANRS EP36 Study. J. Virol. 81: 13904-13915 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Valujskikh, A., Li, X. C. (2007). Frontiers in Nephrology: T Cell Memory as a Barrier to Transplant Tolerance. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 18: 2252-2261 [Full Text]  
• Williams, C. A., Murray, S. E., Weinberg, A. D., Parker, D. C. (2007). OX40-Mediated Differentiation to Effector Function Requires IL-2 Receptor Signaling but Not CD28, CD40, IL-12Rbeta2, or T-bet. J. Immunol. 178: 7694-7702 [Abstract] [Full Text]  

Home | Help | Feedback | Subscriptions | Archive | Search

TABLE OF CONTENTS