Gamma delta T cell homeostasis is controlled by IL-7 and IL-15 together with subset-specific factors.
Among T cell subsets, gamma delta T cells uniquely display an Ag receptor-based tissue distribution, but what defines their preferential homing and homeostasis is unknown. To address this question, we studied the resources that control gamma delta T cell homeostasis in secondary lymphoid organs. We found that gamma delta and alpha beta T cells are controlled by partially overlapping resources, because acute homeostatic proliferation of gamma delta T cells was inhibited by an intact alpha beta T cell compartment, and both populations were dependent on IL-7 and IL-15. Significantly, to undergo acute homeostatic proliferation, gamma delta T cells also required their own depletion. Thus, gamma delta T cell homeostasis is maintained by trophic cytokines commonly used by other types of lymphoid cells, as well as by additional, as yet unidentified, gamma delta-specific factors.
Baccala
Roberto
R
Department of Immunology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. rbaccala@scripps.edu
Witherden
Deborah
D
Gonzalez-Quintial
Rosana
R
Dummer
Wolfgang
W
Surh
Charles D
CD
Havran
Wendy L
WL
Theofilopoulos
Argyrios N
AN
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D006706:Homeostasis; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D019409:Interleukin-15; D015851:Interleukin-7; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta