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IL-21 is required for CD4 memory formation in response to viral infection
Yuqing Yuan, … , Yiping Yang, Xiaopei Huang
Yuqing Yuan, … , Yiping Yang, Xiaopei Huang
Published April 6, 2017
Citation Information: JCI Insight. 2017;2(7):e90652. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.90652.
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Research Article Immunology Infectious disease

IL-21 is required for CD4 memory formation in response to viral infection

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Abstract

IL-21 has been shown to play an important role in the CD8 T cell response during acute and chronic viral infections. However, the role of IL-21 signaling in the CD4 T cell response to viral infection remains incompletely defined. In a model of infection with vaccinia virus, we show that intrinsic IL-21 signaling on CD4 T cells was critical for the formation of memory CD4 T cells in vivo. We further reveal that IL-21 promoted CD4 T cell survival in a mechanism dependent on activation of the STAT1 and STAT3 signaling pathways. In addition, the activation of Akt is also required for IL-21–dependent survival of CD4 T cells in vivo. These results identify a critical role for intrinsic IL-21 signaling in CD4 T cell survival and memory formation in response to viral infection in vivo and may provide insights into the design of effective vaccine strategies.

Authors

Yuqing Yuan, Yiping Yang, Xiaopei Huang

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Figure 1

Lack of IL-21 signaling in HA-specific CD4 T cells leads to defective CD4 memory formation in the response to VV infection.

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Lack of IL-21 signaling in HA-specific CD4 T cells leads to defective CD...
5 × 104 naive clonotypic HA-specific CD4 T cells (Thy1.2+) sorted from WT or IL-21R–/– TCR-HA transgenic mice were transferred into Thy1.1+ mice intravenously, followed by infection with 5 × 106 pfu VV-HA i.p., or left uninfected as naive controls. 7, 14, 28, and 42 days after infection, splenocytes were harvested and stained with anti-CD4 and anti-Thy1.2. (A) FACS plots with percentages of total clonotypic CD4 T cells among total CD4 T cells. (B) Mean absolute numbers ± SEM of clonotypic CD4 T cells per spleen (n = 4 per group). (C) At day 42, some mice were rechallenged with Ad-HA (2 × 109 pfu) intravenously and harvested 5 days later (day 42+5) for recall responses. Mean absolute numbers ± SEM of clonotypic CD4 T cells per spleen before (day 42) and after (day 42 + 5) rechallenge with Ad-HA are indicated (n = 4 per group). Data are representative of 3 independent experiments.

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