title: The antiapoptotic protein Bcl-xL is dispensable for the development of effector and memory T lymphocytes.
abstract: The antiapoptotic protein Bcl-x(L) is induced in activated T lymphocytes upon costimulation through CD28, 4-1BB, and OX40. Bcl-x(L) is also highly enriched in memory T lymphocytes. Based on this body of evidence, it was thought that Bcl-x(L) plays an essential role in the generation of effector and memory T lymphocytes. We report that mice with a conditional deletion of Bcl-x in T lymphocytes develop a normal CD8(+) T cell response to Listeria monocytogenes infection. Furthermore, Bcl-x conditional knockout mice exhibit normal T-dependent humoral immune responses. These results indicate that Bcl-x is dispensable for the generation of effector and memory T lymphocytes and suggest that costimulation of T lymphocytes promotes their survival through a Bcl-x(L) independent mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Nu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: You-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000235:genetics; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051020:bcl-X Protein
chemical_list: C494812:Bcl2l1 protein, mouse; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051020:bcl-X Protein