title: Impaired B-1 and B-2 B cell development and atypical splenic B cell structures in IL-7 receptor-deficient mice.
abstract: The cytokine IL-7 and its receptor are essential for normal B and T lymphopoiesis. We have analyzed the role of this receptor in B cell development throughout ontogeny in IL-7 receptor alpha-deficient mice. We demonstrate that the IL-7 receptor becomes progressively more important with age. B lymphopoiesis takes place, albeit at reduced levels, in fetal liver and bone marrow of young mice, but is arrested in adults. The outcome is a severe reduction, from an early age, in peripheral B cells including follicular, marginal zone and B-1 B cells as well as perturbed splenic B cell structures, which are restored after adoptive transfer of normal spleen cells. We conclude that in the absence of the IL-7 receptor, the residual B lymphopoiesis occurring early in ontogeny must be facilitated by another component, whereas the IL-7 receptor is the key factor in adults. The impairment of marginal zone and B-1 B cells in IL-7 receptor- but not IL-7-deficient mice suggests non-redundant functions for the IL-7 receptor ligands, IL-7 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Lymphocyte Signaling and Development, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Erlandsson
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Licence
authors.forename: Fabrina
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gaspal
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Corcoran
authors.forename: Inga-Lill
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Mårtensson
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7 / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7