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Normal T cell homeostasis: the conversion of naive cells into memory-phenotype cells

Nature Immunology volume 12, pages 478–484 (2011)Cite this article

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Abstract

Weak T cell antigen receptor (TCR) signals from contact with self ligands act in synergy with antiapoptotic signals induced by interleukin 7 (IL-7) to promote the survival of naive T cells in a resting state. The amount of background TCR signaling in naive T cells is set by post-thymic TCR tuning and operates at an intensity just below that required to induce entry into the cell cycle. Costimulation from higher concentrations of IL-7 and other common γ-chain cytokines can induce T cells to undergo homeostatic proliferation and conversion into cells with a memory phenotype; many of these memory phenotype cells may be the progeny of cells responding to self antigens. The molecular mechanisms that control the conversion of naive resting T cells into memory-phenotype cells TCR-dependent in normal animals are beginning to be understood.

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Figure 1: TCR tuning and signaling pathways involved in maintaining the survival of naive T cells in a quiescent state.
Figure 2: Positive selection in the thymus.
Figure 3: Possible mechanisms involved in conversion of naive T cells to the memory phenotype under normal physiological conditions.

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Acknowledgements

Supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia), the National Institutes of Health (USA) and a World Class University program from the National Research Foundation (Korea).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Jonathan Sprent

  2. Division of Integrative Biosciences and Biotechnology, World Class University Program, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Korea

    Jonathan Sprent & Charles D Surh

  3. Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA

    Charles D Surh

Authors
  1. Jonathan Sprent
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  2. Charles D Surh
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Correspondence to Jonathan Sprent.

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Sprent, J., Surh, C. Normal T cell homeostasis: the conversion of naive cells into memory-phenotype cells. Nat Immunol 12, 478–484 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.2018

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