Immunity
Volume 26, Issue 5, 25 May 2007, Pages 643-654
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Article
Ectopic Lymphoid-Organ Development Occurs through Interleukin 7-Mediated Enhanced Survival of Lymphoid-Tissue-Inducer Cells

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2007.04.009Get rights and content
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Summary

Development of Peyer's patches and lymph nodes requires the interaction between CD4+ CD3 IL-7Rα+ lymphoid-tissue inducer (LTi) and VCAM-1+ organizer cells. Here we showed that by promoting their survival, enhanced expression of interleukin-7 (IL-7) in transgenic mice resulted in accumulation of LTi cells. With increased IL-7 availability, de novo formation of VCAM-1+ Peyer's patch anlagen occurred along the entire fetal gut resulting in a 5-fold increase in Peyer's patch numbers. IL-7 overexpression also led to formation of multiple organized ectopic lymph nodes and cecal patches. After immunization, ectopic lymph nodes developed normal T cell-dependent B cell responses and germinal centers. Mice overexpressing IL-7 but lacking either RORγ, a factor required for LTi cell generation, or lymphotoxin α1β2 had neither Peyer's patches nor ectopic lymph nodes. Therefore, by controlling LTi cell numbers, IL-7 can regulate the formation of both normal and ectopic lymphoid organs.

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These authors contributed equally to this work.