title: Peanut agglutinin (PNA)-binding properties of murine thymocyte subpopulation.
abstract: Surface receptors for peanut agglutinin (PNA), a lectin with D-galactose specificity, were detected on mouse thymocytes using fluorescence microscopy. Depending on mouse strain, 69-85% of unseparated thymocytes could thus be characterized as PNA+. Electrophoretic fractionation of thymocytes from normal or immunosuppressive drug-treated donors revealed an inverse relationship between PNA-binding properties and cell electrophoretic mobility (EPM). Thus, all thymocytes recovered in the lowest EPM fractions were strongly PNA+ whereas those in the highest EPM fractions were in the majority PNA-. Most of the cells collected in the intermediate EPM range were PNA+ but staining with the fluoresceinated lectin appeared weaker than for the low EPM thymocytes. Reciprocal experiments in which thymocytes were separated by PNA-mediated aggregation into fractions with different affinities for the lectin and then subjected to physical analysis, definitely established that PNA+ cells are of lower EPM than PNA- cells and that these two cell types also differ in size distribution. These data show that the four physical subpopulations of thymocytes previously described present distinctive PNA-binding properties: Th1 and Th2 cells can be classified as strongly PNA+, Th3 cells as less intensely PNA+, and Th4 cells as mostly PNA-.
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000818:Animals; D010367:Arachis; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D003348:Cortisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004586:Electrophoresis; D037102:Lectins / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D037121:Plant Lectins; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000032:analysis* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D003348:Cortisone