Death and Baxes: mechanisms of lymphotrophic cytokines

AR Khaled, SK Durum - Immunological reviews, 2003 - Wiley Online Library
AR Khaled, SK Durum
Immunological reviews, 2003Wiley Online Library
In this review, we briefly cover the critical requirements for interleukin‐7 (IL‐7) in thymocyte
development and peripheral T‐cell homeostasis. Part of the IL‐7 effect is antiapoptotic or
'trophic'and we have studied the intracellular pathways involved in lymphocyte survival and
death regulated by this cytokine. We review the evidence for a role of the JAK signal
transducers and activators of transcription protein (STAT) pathway and phosphoinositide 3‐
kinase (PI3K)–AKT pathways in survival. The death pathway following IL‐7 withdrawal is …
Summary
In this review, we briefly cover the critical requirements for interleukin‐7 (IL‐7) in thymocyte development and peripheral T‐cell homeostasis. Part of the IL‐7 effect is antiapoptotic or ‘trophic’ and we have studied the intracellular pathways involved in lymphocyte survival and death regulated by this cytokine. We review the evidence for a role of the JAK signal transducers and activators of transcription protein (STAT) pathway and phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K)–AKT pathways in survival. The death pathway following IL‐7 withdrawal is discussed in terms of the balance of BCL‐2 vs. BAX and other death proteins and the role of metabolic disturbances involving glucose metabolism and intracellular pH. The IL‐7 survival and death pathways in lymphocytes may be representative of many trophic factors in different cell types; yet we conclude that much of the mechanism remains to be discovered.
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