TSLP is involved in expansion of early thymocyte progenitors

• Main Authors: Coffield V McNeil, Jiang Qi, Kondo Motonari, Su Lishan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2007-07-01
• Series: BMC Immunology
• Online Access: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2172/8/11

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Thymic stromal derived lymphopoietin (TSLP) is preferentially and highly expressed in the thymus, but its function in T cell development is not clear.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We report here that TSLP, independently or in combination with IL-7, enhances thymopoiesis in the murine fetal thymic organ culture (FTOC) model. Furthermore, TSLP preferentially increases the number and proliferation of the (DN1 and DN2) pro-T progenitor cells, and FTOC lobes from TSLP receptor-null mice show a decreased number of these cells. Finally, DN1-DN2 cells expanded with TSLP in vitro are functional T progenitors that are able to differentiate into mature T cells in fetal or adult thymus organs.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Together, these data suggest that TSLP plays an important role in expansion of thymocyte progenitors and may be of value for expanding T progenitor cells in vitro.</p>