Expression of alpha(4)beta(7) integrin defines a distinct pathway of lymphoid progenitors committed to T cells, fetal intestinal lymphotoxin producer, NK, and dendritic cells.

During embryogenesis, the Peyer's patch anlagen are induced by a cell population that produces lymphotoxin (LT) alpha(1)beta(2) following stimulation of IL-7Ralpha. In this study, we show that the LT-producing cell is localized within the IL-7Ralpha(+) and integrin alpha(4)beta(7) (alpha(4)beta(7))(+) population in the embryonic intestine. Lineage commitment to the LT producer phenotype in the fetal liver coincides with expression of alpha(4)beta(7). Before expression of alpha(4)beta(7), the potential of IL-7Ralpha(+) population to generate B cells is lost. However, the progenitors for T cells and LT producer cells reside in the IL-7Ralpha(+)alpha(4)beta(7)(+) cells, but during subsequent differentiation, the potential to give rise to T cells is lost. This IL-7Ralpha(+)alpha(4)beta(7)(+) population migrates to the intestine, where it induces the Peyer's patch anlagen. When stimulated with IL-15 or IL-3 and TNF, the intestinal IL-7Ralpha(+)alpha(4)beta(7)(+) population can differentiate into fully competent NK1.1(+) NK cells or CD11c(+) APCs. Expression of alpha(4)beta(7) is lost during differentiation of both lineages; IL-7Ralpha expression is lost during NK1.1(+) cells differentiation. A newly discovered lineage(-)IL-7Ralpha(+)c-Kit(+)alpha(4)beta(7)(+) population in the fetal liver is committed to T, NK, dendritic, and fetal intestinal LT producer lineage, the latter being an intermediate stage during differentiation of NK and dendritic cells.