The human condition autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome and the murine mutation generalized lymphoproliferative disorder (gld/gld) are both caused by mutations of Fas or Fas ligand and are characterized by severe splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy. in the mouse, the additional absence of TNF attenuates the gld/gld syndrome through an unknown mechanism. We hypothesized that this unexpected outcome was not mediated by increased apoptosis but changes of T cell localization. We demonstrated that the homeostatic chemokine CCL21 is strongly up-regulated in the spleen of C57BL/6 (B6).gld/gld and B6.gld-/ -gld.TRAIL-/- mice. in contrast, a distinct consequence of TNF deficiency in B6.gld/gld mice was the substantially reduced splenic production of CCL21. An analysis of the cognate chemokine receptor CCR7 showed a complete, age-dependent down-regulation of this receptor on B6.gld/gld conventional peripheral T cells that are therefore unable to react to this chemokine. These results demonstrate a new role for the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF and the TNF-regulated chemokine CCL21 in the complex etiology of the autoimmune syndrome in B6.gld/gld mice. © 2007 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Medical and Health Sciences
Research Group:	Immunology
Research Field:	Immunology not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Clinical Health (Organs, Diseases and Abnormal Conditions)
Objective Field:	Infectious Diseases
Author:	Korner, H (Professor Heinrich Korner)
ID Code:	72512
Year Published:	2007
Web of Science® Times Cited:	7
Deposited By:	Research Division
Deposited On:	2011-08-29
Last Modified:	2011-08-29
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