Terrazzini, Nadia, Mantegani, Paola, Kern, Florian, Fortis, Claudio, Mondino, Anna and Caserta, Stefano (2018) IL-7 unveils pathogen-specific T cells by enhancing antigen-recall responses. Journal of Infectious Diseases, jiy096. ISSN 0022-1899

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: IL-7 promotes the generation, expansion and survival of memory T cells. Previous mouse and human studies showed that IL-7 can support immune cell reconstitution in lymphopenic conditions, expand tumor-reactive T cells for adoptive immunotherapy and enhance effector cytokine expression by autoreactive T cells. Whether pathogen-reactive T cells also benefit from IL-7 exposure remains unknown. METHODS: Here we investigated this issue in cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from patients infected with various endemic pathogens. After short-term exposure to IL-7, we measured PBMC responses to antigens (Ag) derived from pathogens, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), Candida albicans (Ca) and Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and to the superantigen Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B (SEB). RESULTS: We found that IL-7 favoured the expansion and, in some instances, the uncovering of pathogen-reactive CD4 T cells, by promoting pathogen-specific IFNɣ, IL-2 and TNF recall responses. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that IL-7 unveils and supports re-activation of pathogen-specific T cells with possible diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic significance, of clinical value especially in conditions of pathogen persistence and chronic infection

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	antigens interleukin-7 mental recall t-lymphocyte pathogenic organism t-lymphocytes, memory
Schools and Departments:	Brighton and Sussex Medical School > Clinical and Experimental Medicine
Subjects:	R Medicine R Medicine > R Medicine (General) R Medicine > R Medicine (General) > R852 Research. Experimentation
Depositing User:	Sandy Gray
Date Deposited:	07 Mar 2018 10:21
Last Modified:	22 May 2018 15:19
URI:	http://srodev.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/74277

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