Journal of Leukocyte Biology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

A more recent version of this article appeared on September 1, 2007

Published online before print June 6, 2007
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (Reprint (PDF))
Right arrow Supplemental Figures
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
jlb.0806494v1
82/3/645    most recent
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Ostiguy, V.
Right arrow Articles by Labrecque, N.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Ostiguy, V.
Right arrow Articles by Labrecque, N.
© by The Society for Leukocyte Biology
Journal of Leukocyte Biology, doi:10.1189/jlb.0806494

Received for publication August 3, 2006.
Revised May 14, 2007.
Accepted for publication May 16, 2007.

Article

IL-21 promotes T lymphocyte survival by activating the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase signaling cascade

Valérie Ostiguy *{dagger}, Ève-Line Allard *{ddagger}, Miriam Marquis *{ddagger}, Julie Leignadier *{ddagger}, and Nathalie Labrecque *{dagger}@

*Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center, Departments of {dagger}Medicine and {ddagger}Microbiology and Immunology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

@ To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: nathalie.labrecque{at}umontreal.ca.


  Abstract

IL-21 is a Type I cytokine, which uses the common {gamma} chain ({gamma}c) in its receptor. As members of the {gamma}c cytokine/cytokine receptors family play crucial role in the differentiation, activation, and survival of lymphocytes, we have investigated if IL-21 could promote T cell survival and thus, contribute to T cell homeostasis and expansion. Unlike most {gamma}c cytokine receptors, we report that IL-21R is constitutively expressed by all mature T lymphocytes and that stromal cells of lymphoid organs are a constitutive source of IL-21. These observations are reminiscent of what is observed for IL-7/IL-7R, which control T cell survival and homeostasis and suggest a role for IL-21 in T cell homeostasis. Indeed, our results show that IL-21 is a survival factor for resting and activated T cells. Moreover, the ability of IL-21 to costimulate T cell proliferation is mediated by enhancing T cell viability. Further investigation of how IL-21R signaling induces T cell survival shows for the first time that IL-21 binding to its receptor activates the PI-3K signaling pathway and induces Bcl-2 expression. Moreover, the activation of the PI-3K signaling pathway is essential for IL-21-mediated T cell survival. Our data provide a new role for IL-21 in the immune system, which might be used to improve T cell homeostasis in immunocompromised patients.

Key Words: cytokine • cytokine receptor • homeostasis • Bcl-2




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Int ImmunolHome page
S. Ferrari-Lacraz, R. Chicheportiche, G. Schneiter, N. Molnarfi, J. Villard, and J.-M. Dayer
IL-21 promotes survival and maintains a naive phenotype in human CD4+ T lymphocytes
Int. Immunol., August 1, 2008; 20(8): 1009 - 1018.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Immunol.Home page
F. Caprioli, M. Sarra, R. Caruso, C. Stolfi, D. Fina, G. Sica, T. T. MacDonald, F. Pallone, and G. Monteleone
Autocrine Regulation of IL-21 Production in Human T Lymphocytes
J. Immunol., February 1, 2008; 180(3): 1800 - 1807.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
Copyright © 2007 by the Society for Leukocyte Biology.