Interleukin 2 (IL-2) and interleukin 7 (IL-7) reciprocally induce IL-7 and IL-2 receptors on gamma delta T-cell receptor-positive intraepithelial lymphocytes.
In this study, we describe the interaction between cytokine and cytokine receptor (R) for the activation and proliferation of gamma delta T-cell receptor-positive T cells (gamma delta T cells). gamma delta T cells isolated from murine intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) were separated into gamma delta (Dim) and gamma delta (Bright) fractions according to the intensity of gamma delta T-cell receptor expression. The gamma delta T cells express low levels of IL-2R and IL-7R as shown by flow cytometry and reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis, whereas gamma delta (Bright) T cells did not express either receptor. Our study also revealed that recombinant marine (rm)IL-2 and rmIL-7 reciprocally induced high expressions of IL-7R and IL-2R, respectively, on gamma delta (Dim) T cells but not on gamma delta (Bright) cells. Thus, treatment of gamma delta (Dim) T cells with rmIL-2 and rmIL-7 resulted in high proliferative responses, whereas gamma delta (Bright) T cells did not respond to these two cytokines. The sources of these two cytokines for gamma delta T cells were neighboring epithelial cells (IL-7) and alpha beta T cells (IL-2 and IL-7). Cytokine signaling by IL-2 and IL-7 from alpha beta T cells and epithelial cells was necessary for the expression of IL-7R and IL-2R, respectively, on a subset of gamma delta T cells (e.g., gamma delta (Dim) T cells) in mucosa-associated tissue for subsequent activation and cell division.
Fujihashi
K
K
Department of Oral Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Center, AL 35294, USA.
Kawabata
S
S
Hiroi
T
T
Yamamoto
M
M
McGhee
J R
JR
Nishikawa
S
S
Kiyono
H
H
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000378:metabolism*; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D015703:Antigens, CD; D017931:DNA Primers; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015851:Interleukin-7; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7; D011994:Recombinant Proteins