Figure 4. Absent IL-7 signaling results in peripheral T lymphopenia in K7 mice.
(A) Spleen cell analysis of K7 mice. Total splenocytes from WT and K7 mice were assessed for TCRβ and CD4/CD8 expression. Data are representative of ten independent experiments.
(B) Peripheral T lymphopenia in K7 mice. LN T cell numbers were quantified in WT, IL7KO and K7 mice. Data are the summary from ten independent experiments.
(C) Increased CD4/CD8 ratio in K7 LN T cells. CD4 versus CD8 ratio of LN T cells were determined in WT and K7 mice. Data are summary of ten independent experiments.
(D) Reduced surface CD8 levels on K7 CD8 LN T cells. Surface CD8α expression was determined on WT and K7 LN T cells. Data are representative of ten independent experiments,
(E) K7 LN T cells express low levels of Bcl-2. Intracellular Bcl-2 expression was determined in WT and K7 CD8 LN T cells. Data are the summary of three independent experiments.
(F) IL-7Rα expression on CD4 and CD8 T cells of WT and K7 mice. Relative expression of surface IL-7Rα expression was assessed by mean fluorescence intensities on WT and K7 T cells. Data are the summary of three independent experiments.
(G) Peripheral IL-7-deficiency results in significantly decreased memory phenotype CD8 T cells. LN CD8 T cells were stained for CD122 and CD44 expression (left). Percentages of memory phenotype-like cells were determined in multiple experiments (right). Data show the result of ten independent experiments.