title: The biological role and potential therapeutic application of interleukin 7.
abstract: Interleukin (IL)-7 is a pleiotropic, non-redundant cytokine necessary for the development of B and T lymphocytes, in particular gammadelta T cell receptor-positive cell differentiation. The cytokine can function as a cofactor during myelopoiesis and the generation of cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells, can activate monocytes/macrophages, and support the survival of mature T cells. A role for IL-7 in promoting the formation of Peyer's patch anlage has also been demonstrated. IL-7 is constitutively expressed in the thymus, bone marrow stromal cells, epithelial and dendritic cells, keratinocytes, as well as in fetal and adult liver. IL-7 acts on various cells through its receptor (IL-7R), a heterodimer consisting of an alpha chain (CD127) that specifically binds IL-7 and a common gamma(c) chain (CD132) shared by other cytokine receptors. The receptor is expressed on bone marrow progenitor cells, lymphoid T and B precursors, and mature T cells. IL-7 activity towards murine endothelial cells has been recently described. The presence of IL-7R on human endothelial cells has also been demonstrated. Several therapeutic applications of recombinant IL-7 have been proposed. These have focused on the enhancement of lymphopoiesis, promotion of stem cell engraftment, and the anti-tumor activity of the cytokine.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krawczenko
authors.forename: Claudine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kieda
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Duś
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7 / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015851:Interleukin-7; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7