IL-21 induces apoptosis of antigen-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes |
| |
Authors: | Barker Brianne R Parvani Jenny G Meyer Debra Hey Adam S Skak Kresten Letvin Norman L |
| |
Affiliation: | Division of Viral Pathogenesis, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115. |
| |
Abstract: | IL-21, a member of the common gamma-chain family of cytokines, has pleiotropic effects on T, B, and NK cells. We found that IL-21 and the prototype common gamma-chain cytokine IL-2 can stimulate proliferation and cytokine secretion by Ag-specific rhesus monkey CD8+ T cells. However, unique among the members of this family of cytokines, we found that IL-21 drives these cells to apoptosis by down-regulation of Bcl-2. These findings suggest that IL-21 may play an important role in the contraction of CD8+ T cell responses. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 PubMed 等数据库收录! |
|