The lymphotoxin pathway: beyond lymph node development

• Published in: Immunologic research Vol. 35; no. 1-2; pp. 41 - 54
• Main Authors: McCarthy, Douglas D, Summers-Deluca, Leslie, Vu, Frances, Chiu, Sidney, Gao, Yunfei, Gommerman, Jennifer L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Springer Nature B.V 01-01-2006
• Subjects: Animals; Cellular biology; Immunity; Immunology; Lymph Nodes - growth & development; Lymphatic system; Lymphotoxin beta Receptor; Lymphotoxin-alpha - genetics; Lymphotoxin-alpha - metabolism; Medical research; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Mice; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor - genetics; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor - metabolism; Toxins; Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism
• ISSN: 0257-277X; 0257-277X; 1559-0755
• DOI: 10.1385/ir:35:1:41

The first studies of mice deficient in lymphotoxin-alpha (LTalpha), LTbeta and LTbetaR revealed the seminal discovery that the LTbetaR signaling is critical for the development of lymph nodes and Peyer's patches during embryogenesis. Since these initial findings, it is increasingly appreciated that signaling through the lymphotoxin-beta receptor (LTbetaR) plays a key role in numerous biological processes in the adult animal, including the maintenance of specialized stromal cell types and the homeostatic control of chemokine expression within the lymphoid tissues. A major focus of our laboratory is to understand the relevance of LTbetaR signaling in initiating immune responses both dependent and independent of its role in maintaining the organization of lymphoid tissues. This review will therefore explore new possibilities for how this complex pathway regulates humoral and cellular immunity.