IL7 (interleukin 7) is crucial for lymphocyte survival and development. It is required for the survival, proliferation and the rearrangement of certain TCR (T cell receptor) genes in earliest thymus stem cells. During later stages, in thymus, it is essential for the positive selection of CD8 cells. IL7 is also essential for the survival and homeostatic proliferation of mature T cells which have left the thymus.
[1] In patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), increased IL-7 plasma levels in the early post-transplant period is linked with suppressed T cell counts and elevated risks of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and mortality.
[2] IL7 shows varied tear expression levels during different stages of Graves′ ophthalmopathy (GO), and thus, might be implicated in the pathogenesis of GO.
[3]