Drennan Michael B, Franki Ann-Sophie, Dewint Pieter, Van Beneden Katrien, Seeuws Sylvie, van de Pavert Serge A, Reilly Emma C, Verbruggen Gust, Lane Thomas E, Mebius Reina E, Deforce Dieter, Elewaut Dirk
Department of Rheumatology, Laboratory for Molecular Immunology and Inflammation, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
J Immunol. 2009 Aug 15;183(4):2213-6. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.0901213. Epub 2009 Jul 20.
The current model used to define T cell export from the thymus suggests that emigrating lymphocytes seed the peripheral organs as functionally mature cells. This model holds true for the majority of T cells exported from the thymus with the exception of invariant NK T (iNKT) cells. iNKT cells undergo lineage expansion after positive selection and acquire NK receptor expression once fully mature; yet, the majority of mature iNKT cells are retained in the thymus by an as of yet unidentified mechanism. In this study we demonstrate that mature iNKT cells are retained in the thymus by the chemokine receptor CXCR3. We propose that the expression of CXCR3 ligands in the thymic medullary epithelium promotes the chemotactic retention of mature iNKT thymocytes and prevents leakage of iNKT cells into the peripheral circulation.
目前用于定义T细胞从胸腺输出的模型表明，迁出的淋巴细胞作为功能成熟的细胞在周围器官中定植。除了不变自然杀伤T（iNKT）细胞外，该模型适用于从胸腺输出的大多数T细胞。iNKT细胞在阳性选择后经历谱系扩增，并在完全成熟时获得NK受体表达；然而，大多数成熟的iNKT细胞通过一种尚未明确的机制保留在胸腺中。在本研究中，我们证明成熟的iNKT细胞通过趋化因子受体CXCR3保留在胸腺中。我们提出，胸腺髓质上皮中CXCR3配体的表达促进了成熟iNKT胸腺细胞的趋化性保留，并防止iNKT细胞泄漏到外周循环中。
