Methods are disclosed herein for specifically inducing proliferation of CD4
+
T cells. The methods are of use in treating immunodeficiencies, such as an immunodeficiency produced by infection with an immunodeficiency virus, such as infection with a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The methods include contacting isolated mammalian CD4+ T cells with an effective amount of a thymic stromal derived lymphopoietin (TSLP) polypeptide or a therapeutically effective amount of nucleic acid encoding the TSLP polypeptide, thereby inducing proliferation of the T cells. Methods are also disclosed for treating an IgE mediated disorder, such as asthma. The methods include administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of a TSLP antagonist. Transgenic mice are also disclosed herein. The somatic and germ cells of these mice include a disrupted thymic stromal lymphopoietin receptor (TSLP) gene, the disruption being sufficient to inhibit the interaction of TSLP with its receptor, and a disrupted γ
c
gene, the disruption being sufficient to reduce signaling through the γ
c
. The mice exhibit diminished thymic cellularity. Methods of using these mice for drug screening are also disclosed.
本文公开了特异性诱导 C
D4
+
T 细胞增殖的方法。这些方法可用于治疗免疫缺陷,如感染免疫缺陷病毒(如感染人类免疫缺陷病毒(HIV))后产生的免疫缺陷。这些方法包括使分离的哺乳动物 C
D4+ T 细胞与有效量的胸腺基质衍生淋巴细胞生成素(
TSLP)
多肽或治疗有效量的编码
TSLP
多肽的核酸接触,从而诱导 T 细胞增殖。还公开了治疗 IgE 介导的疾病(如哮喘)的方法。这些方法包括向受试者施用治疗有效量的
TSLP 拮抗剂。本文还公开了转
基因小鼠。这些小鼠的体细胞和生殖细胞包括被破坏的胸腺基质淋巴细胞生成素受体(
TSLP)
基因,这种破坏足以抑制
TSLP 与其受体的相互作用,以及被破坏的 γ
c
基因,这种干扰足以减少通过γ
c
.这种小鼠的胸腺细胞功能减弱。还公开了利用这些小鼠进行药物筛选的方法。