Atherly, Luana O.Lucas, Julie AnnFelices, MartinYin, Catherine C.Reiner, Steven L.Berg, Leslie J.2022-08-232022-08-232006-07-252008-07-02<p>Immunity. 2006 Jul;25(1):79-91. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2006.05.012">Link to article on publisher's site</a></p>1074-7613 (Print)10.1016/j.immuni.2006.05.01216860759https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/33976The Tec family tyrosine kinases, Itk and Rlk, are expressed in thymocytes and peripheral T cells and regulate thresholds of T cell receptor signaling. Yet little is known about the specific role of Itk- and Rlk-dependent signals in CD8(+) T cell maturation. We show here that Itk(-/-) and Rlk(-/-)Itk(-/-) mice were nearly devoid of conventional CD8(+) T cells and, instead, contained a large population of CD8(+) T cells that bear striking similarity to lineages of innate lymphocytes. Itk(-/-) and Rlk(-/-)Itk(-/-) CD8(+) thymocytes and T cells were CD44(hi), CD122(+), and NK1.1(+); were able to produce interferon-gamma directly ex vivo; and were dependent on interleukin-15. Itk(-/-) and Rlk(-/-)Itk(-/-) CD8(+) thymocytes expressed abundant transcripts for the T box transcription factor, eomesodermin, correlating with their phenotype and function. These data indicate a critical role for Itk and Rlk in conventional CD8(+) T cell development in the thymus.en-USJournal Articlehttps://escholarship.umassmed.edu/gsbs_sp/63542475gsbs_sp/63