Expression and function of IL-7 receptors in marrow stromal cells.
IL-7 was first isolated in 1988, when its role in early B lymphocyte development was noted [1-3]. It soon became apparent that IL-7 is a "stromal cytokine" produced by a variety of stromal tissues including those in bone marrow and thymus [4-10]. The production of IL-7 by bone marrow stromal cells is thought to be essential for early B lymphocyte development at least in the murine model, and secreted IL-7 from extra thymic sources including bone marrow is postulated to play a critical role in post-thymic T cell homeostasis [11-15]. Although IL-7 was thought to have effects mostly within the lymphoid populations, the demonstration of IL-7 receptors in non-lymphoid cells including primary marrow stromal cells has challenged this paradigm [15]. In this report, we present data showing that functional IL-7 receptors are expressed by marrow stroma and that IL-7 mediated signaling through this receptor is distinct from that mediated by IL-7 receptors expressed on lymphoid cells.
Pillai
Manoj
M
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA.
Torok-Storb
Beverly
B
Iwata
Mineo
M
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7 / Q000378:metabolism*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D015851:Interleukin-7; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7