An essential function for the nuclear receptor RORγt in the generation of fetal lymphoid tissue inducer cells

Gérard Eberl (1) , Shana Marmon , Mary-Jean Sunshine , Paul D Rennert , Yongwon Choi (2) , Dan R Littman (3)

1 UNIL - Université de Lausanne = University of Lausanne
2 SUNY - State University of New York
3 HHMI - Howard Hughes Medical Institute [New York]

Lymphoid tissue inducer (LTi) cells are associated with early development of lymph nodes and Peyer's patches. We show here that during fetal life the nuclear hormone receptor RORgamma(t) is expressed exclusively in and is required for the generation of LTi cells. RORgamma(t+) LTi cells provide essential factors, among which lymphotoxin-alpha1beta2 is necessary but not sufficient for activation of the mesenchyma in lymph node and Peyer's patch anlagen. This early LTi cell-mediated activation of lymph node and Peyer's patch mesenchyma forms the necessary platform for the subsequent development of mature lymphoid tissues. Comment in Lymphoid organogenesis: getting the green light from RORgamma(t).

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]; Immunology; Life Sciences [q-bio]; Cellular Biology

Gérard Eberl, Shana Marmon, Mary-Jean Sunshine, Paul D Rennert, Yongwon Choi, et al.. An essential function for the nuclear receptor RORγt in the generation of fetal lymphoid tissue inducer cells. Nature Immunology, 2004, 5 (1), pp.64 - 73. ⟨10.1038/ni1022⟩. ⟨pasteur-01402773⟩