Fig. 7: Research summary: circulating mature DCs homing to the thymus promote thymic epithelial cell involution through the Jagged1/Notch3 axis.

Circulating mDCs can return to the thymus where they interact with TECs through direct cell–cell contact. MDCs can activate Notch signaling in TECs through the Jagged1/Notch3 axis. Long-term Notch signaling activation of TECs results in apoptosis and growth inhibition, further leading to the degeneration of the thymus.