Jak/STAT and PI3K signaling pathways have both common and distinct roles in IL-7-mediated activities in human CD8+ T cells.

IL-7 plays an important role in T cell survival, function, and memory cell development, yet the role of cytokine signaling pathways in these processes has not been fully elucidated. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms for the observed impairment of IL-7 activity in diseases, such as HIV infection, breast cancer, and autoimmunity, are not well understood. It was therefore hypothesized that IL-7-induced signaling molecules could be linked with distinct IL-7-associated activities.