Interleukin 7 is a potent co-stimulator of myelin specific T cells that enhances the adoptive transfer of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Bruce F. Bebo, Jeanette C. Schuster, Kirsten Adlard, Arthur A. Vandenbark, Halina Offner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Interleukin 7 (IL-7), originally described as a B cell growth factor, has recently been found to play a critical role in T and B lymphocyte development and function. This study evaluated the effects of IL-7 on myelin specific T cells. IL-7 strongly enhanced proliferation of proteolipid protein (PLP) 139-151 specific T cells in association with elevated secretion of the T cell growth factor IL-2. Co-stimulation with IL-7 preferentially increased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines secreted by PLP 139-151 specific T cells and adoptive transfer of these cells into naive recipients induced a profound enhancement of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an animal model for the human disease multiple sclerosis. These results suggest that IL-7 may be a critical co-stimulatory factor that enhances the extrathymic expansion of inflammatory T cells and may play an important role in the pathogenesis of a number of inflammatory autoimmune disorders. (C) 2000 Academic Press.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)324-331
Number of pages8
JournalCytokine
Volume12
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2000

Keywords

  • EAE
  • Interleukin 7
  • T lymphocytes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology
  • Biochemistry
  • Hematology
  • Molecular Biology

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