Demonstration of a CD3+ lymphocyte subset in the epidermis of athymic nude mice. Evidence for T cell receptor diversity.
The existence of CD3/TCR-bearing lymphocytes in athymic and thymectomized chimeric mice implies that T cell maturation can occur in the absence of a thymus. Considering the possibility that the epidermis may be one of the organs providing T cell educating stimuli, we attempted to characterize the Thy-1+ epidermal lymphocyte population of athymic mice. Immunohistologic studies of epidermal sheets revealed (1) that Thy-1+ epidermal cells of C57BL/6 nu/nu mice are CD5-, CD4-, and predominantly CD8-, and (2) that a minor subset of these cells displays anti-CD3 epsilon reactivity. Although these CD3+ epidermal cells could hardly be detected at 6 wk of age, they comprised approximately 2% of all Thy-1+ epidermal cells in 12-mo-old athymic mice. Most of these CD3+ cells expressed TCR-gamma/delta, but TCR-alpha/beta+ cells were also present. TCR-gamma/delta+ epidermal T cells of athymic mice preferentially expressed TCR V gamma 2, V gamma 4, and V gamma 5 specificities rather than TCR V gamma 3 as found on DETC of euthymic mice. Using mitogenic stimuli, we have succeeded in establishing cell lines and clones from BALB/c nu/nu and C57BL/6 nu/nu epidermis. Their marker profile corresponds to that seen on resident CD3+ epidermal cells, as well as on a very small subset of CD3+ splenic and lymph node lymphocytes of athymic mice. The ontogenetic relationship, if any, between the epidermal and lymphoid CD3+, CD5-, CD4-, CD8- cells, has yet to be clarified. Cell lines/clones representative of resident CD3+ epidermal cells of nu/nu mice should provide a useful tool in the elucidation of homing patterns and functional properties of extrathymically matured T cells.
Department of Dermatology I, University of Vienna Medical School, Austria.
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Payer
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Strohal
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Kutil
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Elbe
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Stingl
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D001483:Base Sequence; D017252:CD3 Complex; D002460:Cell Line; D004817:Epidermis / Q000276:immunology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D017252:CD3 Complex; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens