@article {1016021,
	title = {Interleukin-7 and -15 maintain pathogenic memory Th17 cells in autoimmunity},
	journal = {J Autoimmun},
	volume = {77},
	year = {2017},
	month = {2017 Feb},
	pages = {96-103},
	abstract = {Th17\&nbsp;cells are principal mediators of many autoimmune conditions. Recently, memory Th17\&nbsp;cells have been revealed as crucial in mediating the chronicity of various refractory autoimmune disorders; however, the underlying mechanisms maintaining memory Th17\&nbsp;cells have remained elusive. Here, using a preclinical model of ocular autoimmune disease we show that both IL-7 and IL-15 are critical for maintaining pathogenic memory Th17\&nbsp;cells. Neutralization of these cytokines leads to substantial reduction of memory Th17\&nbsp;cells; both IL-7 and IL-15 provide survival signals via activating STAT5, and IL-15 provides additional proliferation signals via activating both STAT5 and Akt. Topical neutralization of ocular IL-7 or IL-15 effectively reduces memory Th17\&nbsp;cells at the inflammatory site and draining lymphoid tissues, while topical neutralization of IL-17 alone, the major pathogenic cytokine secreted by Th17\&nbsp;cells, does not diminish memory Th17\&nbsp;cells at the draining lymphoid tissues. Our results suggest that the effective removal of pathogenic memory Th17\&nbsp;cells via abolishing environmental IL-7 or IL-15 is likely to be a novel strategy in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.},
	issn = {1095-9157},
	doi = {10.1016/j.jaut.2016.11.003},
	author = {Chen, Yihe and Chauhan, Sunil K and Tan, Xuhua and Dana, Reza}
}
