Stat3 in thymic epithelial cells is essential for postnatal maintenance ofthymic architecture and thymocyte survival

This study describes abnormalities of the thymus in mice in which the Stat3 gene has been specifically disrupted behind the keratin 5 promoter. In the se mice, virtually all of the thymic epithelial cells (TEC) were deficient for Stat3 activation. Adult mutant mice developed severe thymic hypoplasia, which included alterations in the cortical TEC architecture that coincided with the loss of thymocytes. Even during the asymptomatic period of preado lescence, these mice exhibited a higher susceptibility of the thymus to sub optimal doses of dexamethasone or gamma -irradiation, while their thymocyte s per se were no more sensitive than controls. These results indicate that Stat3 in TEC plays an essential role in maintaining thymic architecture and thymocyte survival.