Long-Term Survival But Impaired Homeostatic Proliferation of Naïve T Cells in the Absence of p56 lck

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Abstract
Interactions between the T cell receptor (TCR) and major histocompatibility complex antigens are essential for the survival and homeostasis of peripheral T lymphocytes. However, little is known about the TCR signaling events that result from these interactions. The peripheral T cell pool of p56lck(lck)–deficient mice was reconstituted by the expression of an inducible lck transgene. Continued survival of peripheral naı̈ve T cells was observed for long periods after switching off the transgene. Adoptive transfer of T cells from these mice into T lymphopoienic hosts confirmed that T cell survival was independent of lck but revealed its essential role in TCR-driven homeostatic proliferation of naı̈ve T cells in response to the T cell–deficient host environment. These data suggest that survival and homeostatic expansion depend on different signals.