Flt3 ligand expands lymphoid progenitors prior to recovery of thymopoiesis and accelerates T cell reconstitution after bone marrow transplantation

Evert-Jan Wils, Eric Braakman, Georges M. G. M. Verjans, Elwin J. C. Rombouts, Annoek E. C. Broers, Hubert G. M. Niesters, Gerard Wagemaker, Frank J. T. Staal, Bob Lowenberg, Hergen Spits, Jan J. Cornelissen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

39 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Deficient thymopoiesis and retarded recovery of newly developed CD4(+) T cells is one of the most important determinants of impaired immunocompetence after hemopoietic stem cell transplantation. Here we evaluated whether Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (Flt3) ligand (FL) alone or combined with IL-7 affects T cell recovery, thymopoiesis, and lymphoid progenitor expansion following bone marrow transplantation in immunodeficient mice. FL strongly accelerated and enhanced the recovery of peripheral T cells after transplantation of a low number of bone marrow cells. An additive effect on T cell recovery was not observed after coadministration of IL-7. Lineage(-)sca-1(+)c-kit(+)flt3(+) lymphoid progenitor cell numbers were significantly increased in bone marrow of FL-treated mice before recovery of thymopoiesis. Thymocyte differentiation was advanced to more mature stages after FL treatment. Improved T cell recovery resulted in better immunocompetence against a post-bone marrow transplantation murine CMV infection. Collectively, our data suggest that FL promotes T cell recovery by enhanced thymopoiesis and by expansion of lymphoid progenitors
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3551-3557
JournalJournal of immunology (Baltimore, Md.
Volume178
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2007

Cite this