title: T lymphocytes maintain structure and function of fibroblastic reticular cells via lymphotoxin (LT)-B.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although a lot is known about how Fibroblastic Reticular Cells (FRCs) can regulate T lymphocytes (T cells), little is understood about whether or how T cells can regulate FRCs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study shows that the absence of T cells inhibited the secretion of ER-TR7 by splenic FRCs, induced the structural disorder of FRCs, down-regulated the expression of the chemokine ligands CCL21 and CCL19, and weakened the homing ability of T cells to the spleen of nude mice. Transfusion of T cells from BALB/c mice restored the structure and functions of FRCs and recovered them. The expression of lymphotoxin (LT)-B was significantly downregulated in the absence of T cells from nude mice and was recovered after the transfusion of T cells. After the occlusion of the LT-B receptor, the FRCs' structure and functions were not restored by transfusion of T cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data reveal that the absence of T cells will subject spleen FRCs to structural and functional abnormality, and weaken the homing ability of T cells to the spleen. These changes are attributed to the T-cell- derived LT-B.
authors.forename: Lintao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jianbao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chunyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Institution of Cancer, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Mediecal University, Chongqing 400037, China. 25483098@qq.com.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019138:Antibodies, Blocking / Q000494:pharmacology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology*; D053308:Lymphotoxin-beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D019138:Antibodies, Blocking; D018925:Chemokines; C505887:Ltb protein, mouse; D053308:Lymphotoxin-beta