Interleukin 7 is a potent co-stimulator of myelin specific T cells that enhances the adoptive transfer of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
Interleukin 7 (IL-7), originally described as a B cell growth factor, has recently been found to play a critical role in T and B lymphocyte development and function. This study evaluated the effects of IL-7 on myelin specific T cells. IL-7 strongly enhanced proliferation of proteolipid protein (PLP) 139-151 specific T cells in association with elevated secretion of the T cell growth factor IL-2. Co-stimulation with IL-7 preferentially increased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines secreted by PLP 139-151 specific T cells and adoptive transfer of these cells into naive recipients induced a profound enhancement of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an animal model for the human disease multiple sclerosis. These results suggest that IL-7 may be a critical co-stimulatory factor that enhances the extrathymic expansion of inflammatory T cells and may play an important role in the pathogenesis of a number of inflammatory autoimmune disorders.
Bebo
B F
BF
Department of Neurology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland 97201, USA. bebob@ohsu.edu
Schuster
J C
JC
Adlard
K
K
Vandenbark
A A
AA
Offner
H
H
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018991:Myelin Proteolipid Protein / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D016207:Cytokines; D015851:Interleukin-7; D018991:Myelin Proteolipid Protein; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C435023:myelin proteolipid protein (139-151)