Enhanced T cell proliferation in mice lacking the p85β subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase activation is important for lymphocyte proliferation and survival. Disrupting the gene that encodes the major phosphoinositide 3-kinase regulatory isoform p85alpha impairs B cell development and proliferation. However, T cell functions are intact in the absence of p85alpha. In this study, we test the hypothesis that the related isoform p85beta is an essential regulatory subunit for T cell signaling. Unexpectedly, T cells lacking p85beta showed a marked increase in proliferation and decreased death when stimulated with anti-CD3 plus IL-2. Both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells completed more cell divisions. Transcriptional profiling revealed reduced levels of caspase-6 mRNA in p85beta-deficient T cells, which was paralleled by reduced caspase-6 enzyme activity. Increased T cell accumulation was also observed in vivo following infection of p85beta-deficient mice with mouse hepatitis virus. Together, these results suggest a unique role for p85beta in limiting T cell expansion.