title: Expression and function of the interleukin 7 receptor in murine lymphocytes.
abstract: A monoclonal antibody, A7R34, that recognizes the high-affinity interleukin 7 receptor (IL-7Ra) and blocks the binding between IL-7 and IL-7Ra has been produced. Cell surface staining with A7R34 demonstrated that IL-7Ra is expressed in both B- and T-cell lineages. In the bone marrow, immature B-lineage cells that do not express surface IgM were IL-7Ra+. In the thymus, IL-7Ra was detected in CD4-8- T cells and also in CD4 or CD8 single-positive cells but not in CD4+8+ double-positive cells. In the peripheral lymphoid tissues, both CD4 and CD8 single-positive cells were the major cell types that express IL-7Ra. Addition of A7R34 to a long-term B-precursor-cell culture inhibited proliferation of the B-lineage cells, indicating that IL-7 is an absolute requirement for in vitro B-cell genesis. Consistent with this in vitro result, continuous injection of A7R34 into an adult mouse resulted in a decrease of B-precursor cells and also of thymocytes, whereas a considerable fraction of mature B and T cells in the peripheral tissues persisted over 2 weeks of the experiment. When A7R34 injection is started from day 14 of gestation, it is possible to produce mice that lack B cells. These results indicate that IL-7 is an essential molecule for generation of both B and T cells in murine bone marrow and thymus, respectively. Moreover, IL-7Ra would be the sole receptor system regulating these processes.
authors.affiliation: Basic Research Laboratories, Toray Industries, Inc., Kamakura, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sudo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamakoshi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001483:Base Sequence; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D017931:DNA Primers; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D017931:DNA Primers; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015851:Interleukin-7; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins