Deletion of PKBalpha/Akt1 affects thymic development.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The thymus constitutes the primary lymphoid organ for the majority of T cells. The phosphatidyl-inositol 3 kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway is involved in lymphoid development. Defects in single components of this pathway prevent thymocytes from progressing beyond early T cell developmental stages. Protein kinase B (PKB) is the main effector of the PI3K pathway.

Methodology/principal findings

To determine whether PKB mediates PI3K signaling in the thymus, we characterized PKB knockout thymi. Our results reveal a significant thymic hypocellularity in PKBalpha(-/-) neonates and an accumulation of early thymocyte subsets in PKBalpha(-/-) adult mice. Using thymic grafting and fetal liver cell transfer experiments, the latter finding was specifically attributed to the l

SUBMITTER: Fayard E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1991598 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature