IL-7 signaling must be intermittent, not continuous, during CD8 + T cell homeostasis to promote cell survival instead of cell death

Why signaling via both the receptor for interleukin 7 (IL-7R) and the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) is required for T cell homeostasis has been unclear. Singer and colleagues show that engagement of the TCR interrupts IL-7R signals to prevent a mechanism of cytokine-induced cell death.