Cloning of the murine thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) receptor: Formation of a functional heteromeric complex requires interleukin 7 receptor

The,cellular receptor for murine thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) was detected in a variety of murine, but not human myelomonocytic cell Lines by radioligand binding. cDNA clones encoding the receptor were isolated from a murine T helper cell cDNA library. TSLP receptor (TSLPR) is a member of the hematopoietin receptor family. Transfection of TSLPR cDNA resulted in only low affinity binding. Cotransfection of the interleukin 7 (IL-7)R alpha chain cDNA resulted in conversion to high affinity binding. TSLP did not activate cells from IL7R alpha(-/-) mice, but did activate cells h-om gamma c(-/-) mice. Thus, the functional TSLPR requires the IL-7R alpha chain, but not the gamma c chain for signaling.