Coexpression of the chemokines ELC and SLC by T zone stromal cells and deletion of the ELC gene in the plt/plt mouse

The spontaneous mutant mouse strain, plt/plt, lacks the secondary lymphoid organ chemokine (SLC)-ser gene and has disrupted trafficking of T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) to lymphoid tissues. We demonstrate here that the ge ne for the related chemokine, Epstein-Barr virus-induced molecule-1 ligand chemokine (ELC), is also deleted in this immunodeficient mouse strain. Usin g a combination of approaches, including bone marrow reconstitution and dou ble in situ hybridization, we show in wild-type mice that ELC is expressed by T zone stromal cells that also make SLC. Smaller amounts of ELC are made by DCs, predominantly of the CD8(+) phenotype. We propose that ELC- and SL C-expressing T zone stromal cells play a central role in bringing naive T c ells and DCs together for the initiation of immune responses.