Alternative splicing of interleukin-7 (IL-7) and interleukin-7 receptor alpha (IL-7Ralpha) in peripheral blood from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS)

J Neuroimmunol. 2010 May;222(1-2):82-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2010.02.014. Epub 2010 Mar 11.

Abstract

IL-7 and IL-7Ralpha (IL-7R) form a non-redundant ligand receptor system which plays a crucial role in human T cell immunity. Both IL-7 and IL-7R are multi-exonal genes and exhibit alternative splicing. We measured the relative distribution of IL-7 and IL-7R spliced mRNA from patients with MS and healthy individuals and observed extensive alternative splicing of both genes with marked differences in proportional transcript expression levels. We report here for the first time that the IL-7 transcript, lacking exon 4, and not the full length IL-7 represents the dominant IL-7 RNA transcript in human PBMCs and a novel IL-7R splice variant lacking exons 5, 6 and 7.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alternative Splicing / genetics*
  • Base Sequence / genetics
  • Biomarkers / analysis
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Exons / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation / genetics
  • Genetic Markers / genetics
  • Genetic Testing
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-7 / genetics*
  • Multiple Sclerosis / blood
  • Multiple Sclerosis / genetics*
  • Multiple Sclerosis / immunology*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • RNA, Messenger / blood
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics*
  • Receptors, Interleukin-7 / genetics*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Genetic Markers
  • Interleukin-7
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Interleukin-7
  • interleukin-7 receptor, alpha chain