Nature Immunology6, 626 - 634 (2005)
Published online: 8 May 2005; | doi:10.1038/ni1203
Recruitment of adult thymic progenitors is regulated by P-selectin and its ligand PSGL-1
Fabio M V Rossi1, 2, Stephane Y Corbel1, 4, Jasmeen S Merzaban1, 4, Douglas A Carlow1, Klaus Gossens1, Jeffrey Duenas1, Leslie So1, Lin Yi1
& Hermann J Ziltener1, 3
1
The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
V6T 1Z3, Canada.
2
Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
V6T 1Z3, Canada.
3
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
V6T 1Z3, Canada.
The molecular mechanisms that direct the migration of early T lymphocyte progenitors to the thymus are unknown. We show here that P-selectin is expressed by thymic endothelium and that lymphoid progenitors in bone marrow and thymus bind P-selectin. Parabiosis, competitive thymus reconstitution and short-term homing assays indicated that P-selectin and its ligand PSGL-1 are functionally important components of the thymic homing process. Accordingly, thymi of mice lacking PSGL-1 contained fewer early thymic progenitors and had increased empty niches for prothymocytes compared with wild-type mice. Furthermore, the number of resident thymic progenitors controls thymic expression of P-selectin, suggesting that regulation of P-selectin expression by a thymic 'niche occupancy sensor' may be used to direct progenitor access.
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