Journal
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
Volume 78, Issue 18, Pages 9740-9749Publisher
AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY
DOI: 10.1128/JVI.78.18.9740-9749.2004
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Interleukin-7 (IL-7) regulates T-cell homeostasis, and its availability is augmented in lymphopenic hosts. Naive CD8(+) T cells transferred to lymphopenic mice acquire a memory-like phenotype, raising the possibility that IL-7 is the biological mediator of this effect. Here, we provide direct evidence that IL-7 induces the acquisition of memory-cell markers not only in CD8(+) T cells but also in CD4(+) T-cell subsets in immune-competent Indian rhesus macaques. The increase of these memory-like populations was dependent on the dose of the cytokine, and these cells were found in the blood as well as secondary lymphoid organs. Memory-like CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells acquired the ability to secrete tumor necrosis factor alpha and, to a lesser extent, gamma interferon following stimulation with a cognate antigen. The phenotypic change observed in naive T cells was promptly reversed after discontinuation of IL-7. Importantly, IL-7 induced cycling of both CD4(+) and CD8(+) central memory and effector memory T cells, demonstrating its contribution to the maintenance of the entire T-cell pool. Thus, IL-7 may be of benefit in the treatment of iatrogenic or virus-induced T-cell depletion.
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