title: L-selectin and beta7 integrin synergistically mediate lymphocyte migration to mesenteric lymph nodes.
abstract: Mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) drain the gut where nutritive antigens and pathogens are encountered by lymphocytes of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue. We sought to determine how lymphocytes enter the MLN by studying mice double deficient for beta7 integrins and L-selectin. beta7/L-selectin double-deficient lymphocytes did not migrate into MLN. Most importantly, MLN formation was drastically impaired in beta7/L-selectin double-deficient mice. Lymphocyte numbers in MLN from beta7/L-selectin double-deficient mice were tenfold reduced compared to control mice. A high percentage of the few lymphocytes still detected in MLN from beta7/L-selectin double-deficient mice were CD44hi CD18hi, suggesting alternate migration pathways independent of L-selectin and beta7 integrin for these cells. We conclude that the combination of both molecules, L-selectin and beta7 integrin, is indispensable for MLN formation and that these molecules may mediate lymphocyte migration to MLN in a sequential and synergistical manner.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Germany. n.wagner@uni-koeln.de
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Löhler
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Tedder
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rajewsky
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Steeber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement; D039641:Integrin beta Chains; D016023:Integrins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019041:L-Selectin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D008643:Mesentery / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout
chemical_list: D039641:Integrin beta Chains; D016023:Integrins; C091368:integrin beta7; D019041:L-Selectin