Lymphotoxin beta receptor signaling is required for inflammatory lymphangiogenesis in the thyroid.
Infiltration of lymphocytes into the thyroid gland and formation of lymph node-like structures is a hallmark of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Here we demonstrate that lymphatic vessels are present within these infiltrates. Mice overexpressing the chemokine CCL21 in the thyroid (TGCCL21 mice) developed similar lymphoid infiltrates and lymphatic vessels. TGCCL21 mice lacking mature T and B cells (RAGTGCCL21 mice) did not have cellular infiltrates or increased number of lymphatic vessels compared with controls. Transfer of CD3(+)CD4(+) T cells into RAGTGCCL21 mice promoted the development of LYVE-1(+)podoplanin(+)Prox-1(+) vessels in the thyroid. Genetic deletion of lymphotoxin beta receptor or lymphotoxin alpha abrogated development of lymphatic vessels in the inflamed areas in the thyroid but did not affect development of neighboring lymphatics. These results define a model for the study of inflammatory lymphangiogenesis in the thyroid and implicate lymphotoxin beta receptor signaling in this process.
Furtado
Glaucia C
GC
Immunology Insitute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA.
Marinkovic
Tatjana
T
Martin
Andrea P
AP
Garin
Alexandre
A
Hoch
Benjamin
B
Hubner
Wolfgang
W
Chen
Benjamin K
BK
Genden
Eric
E
Skobe
Mihaela
M
Lira
Sergio A
SA
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002469:Cell Separation; D054421:Chemokine CCL21; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000378:metabolism; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis / Q000276:immunology*; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D053259:Lymphotoxin beta Receptor / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000172:deficiency; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
C515478:CCL21 protein, human; C515479:Ccl21c protein, mouse; D054421:Chemokine CCL21; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D053259:Lymphotoxin beta Receptor; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha