Caveolin-1 is dispensable for early lymphoid development, but plays a role in the maintenance of the mature splenic microenvironment

Objective Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is known for its role as both a tumor suppressor and an oncogene, harboring a highly context-dependent role within a myriad of malignancies and cell types. In an immunological context, dysregulation of CAV1 expression has been shown to alter immunological signaling functions and suggests a pivotal role for CAV1 in the facilitation of proper immune responses. Nonetheless, it is still unknown how Cav1-deficiency and heterozygosity would impact the development and composition of lymphoid organs in mice. Herein, we investigated the impacts of Cav1-dysregulation on the lymphoid organs in young (12 weeks) and aged (36 weeks) Cav1+/+, Cav1+/−, and Cav1−/− mice.