Effects of increasing IL-7 availability on lymphocytes during and after lymphopenia-induced proliferation.

IL-7 is critically involved in regulating peripheral T cell homeostasis. To investigate the role of IL-7 on lymphopenia-induced proliferation of polyclonal lymphocytes, we have transferred CFSE-labeled cells into a novel T-lymphopenic, IL-7-transgenic mouse line. Results obtained indicate that T and B cells do not respond in the same way to IL-7-homeostatic signals. Overexpression of IL-7 enhances proliferation of both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells but with distinctly temporal effects. Expansion of naturally arising CD4(+)-regulatory T cells was like that of conventional CD4(+) T cells. IL-7 had no effect on B cell proliferation. By immunohistology, transferred T cells homed to T cell areas of spleen lymphoid follicles. Increasing IL-7 availability enhanced T cell recovery by promoting cell proliferation and reducing apoptosis during early stages of lymphopenia-induced proliferation. Taken together, these results provide new insights into the pleiotropic effects of IL-7 on lymphopenia-induced T cell proliferation.