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Death and Baxes: mechanisms of lymphotrophic cytokines
Author(s) -
Khaled Annette R.,
Durum Scott K.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
immunological reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.839
H-Index - 223
eISSN - 1600-065X
pISSN - 0105-2896
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-065x.2003.00050.x
Subject(s) - biology , pi3k/akt/mtor pathway , programmed cell death , signal transduction , cytokine , intracellular , stat , microbiology and biotechnology , thymocyte , immunology , apoptosis , immune system , t cell , stat3 , genetics
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.