STIM1-independent T cell development and effector function in vivo

J Immunol. 2009 Mar 15;182(6):3390-7. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.0802888.

Abstract

Store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) is believed to be of pivotal importance in T cell physiology. To test this hypothesis, we generated mice constitutively lacking the SOCE-regulating Ca(2+) sensor stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1). In vitro analyses showed that SOCE and Ag receptor complex-triggered Ca(2+) flux into STIM1-deficient T cells is virtually abolished. In vivo, STIM1-deficient mice developed a lymphoproliferative disease despite normal thymic T cell maturation and normal frequencies of CD4(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells. Unexpectedly, STIM1-deficient bone marrow chimeric mice mounted humoral immune responses after vaccination and STIM1-deficient T cells were capable of inducing acute graft-versus-host disease following adoptive transfer into allogeneic hosts. These results demonstrate that STIM1-dependent SOCE is crucial for homeostatic T cell proliferation, but of much lesser importance for thymic T cell differentiation or T cell effector functions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Transport / genetics
  • Biological Transport / immunology
  • Calcium Channels / metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology*
  • Cell Proliferation*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Graft vs Host Disease / genetics
  • Graft vs Host Disease / immunology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / metabolism
  • Homeostasis / genetics
  • Homeostasis / immunology
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / deficiency
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Mutant Strains
  • Stromal Interaction Molecule 1
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / transplantation
  • Thymus Gland / cytology
  • Thymus Gland / immunology
  • Thymus Gland / metabolism

Substances

  • Calcium Channels
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Stim1 protein, mouse
  • Stromal Interaction Molecule 1