Intestinal dendritic cells increase T cell expression of α4β7 integrin

Abstract

The integrin α4β7 binds to MAdCAM-1 and contributes to homing of lymphocytes to gut and other mucosal tissues. In humans, the α4β7hi subset of circulating memory cells appears to have been primed in mucosal tissues. The factors that determine whether α4β7lo naive cells become α4β7hi or α4β7- cells upon differentiation are poorly understood but could include an influence of the activating antigen-presenting cell. To address this point, the induction of α4β7 following activation of mouse cells with the APC-dependent stimulus soluble anti-CD3 has been examined. Almost all mouse T cells freshly isolated from mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) and peripheral (PLN; axillary, brachial and inguinal) lymph..