[HTML][HTML] Bcl-2 can rescue T lymphocyte development in interleukin-7 receptor–deficient mice but not in mutant rag-1−/− mice

E Maraskovsky, LA O'Reilly, M Teepe, LM Corcoran… - Cell, 1997 - cell.com
E Maraskovsky, LA O'Reilly, M Teepe, LM Corcoran, JJ Peschon, A Strasser
Cell, 1997cell.com
Signals from cytokine and antigen receptors play crucial roles during lymphocyte
development. Mice lacking interleukin-7 receptor are lymphopenic, due to a defect in cell
expansion at an early stage of differentiation, and the few mature T cells that develop in IL-
7R−/− animals are functionally impaired. Both defects were rescued completely by
overexpression of the anti-apoptosis protein Bcl-2. T cell progenitors lacking antigen
receptor molecules are also blocked in differentiation and die, presumably because they fail …
Abstract
Signals from cytokine and antigen receptors play crucial roles during lymphocyte development. Mice lacking interleukin-7 receptor are lymphopenic, due to a defect in cell expansion at an early stage of differentiation, and the few mature T cells that develop in IL-7R−/− animals are functionally impaired. Both defects were rescued completely by overexpression of the anti- apoptosis protein Bcl-2. T cell progenitors lacking antigen receptor molecules are also blocked in differentiation and die, presumably because they fail to receive a positive signal via their pre-T cell receptor. Surprisingly, Bcl-2 did not promote survival or differentiation of T cells in rag-1−/− mice. These results provide evidence that blocking apoptosis is the essential function of IL-7R during differentiation and activation of T lymphocytes and that pre-TCR signaling blocks a pathway to apoptosis that is insensitive to Bcl-2.
cell.com