Expression and role of interleukin-2 receptor beta chain on CD4-CD8- T cell receptor alpha beta+ cells [corrected].
Using anti-murine interleukin-2 receptor beta chain (IL-2R beta) monoclonal antibody (mAb), we have examined the expression of IL-2R beta on murine thymocyte subpopulations. We found that it was constitutively expressed on 1%-4% of thymocytes in an almost mutually exclusive fashion with IL-2R alpha. The expression of IL-2R beta is developmentally regulated. While it is expressed mainly on T cell receptor gamma delta+ (TcR gamma delta+) cells during fetal age, the major subpopulation expressing IL-2R beta in adult mouse shifts to CD4-CD8-TcR alpha beta+ thymocytes. A considerable portion of CD4-CD8- TcR alpha beta+ cells in other organs, including spleen, bone marrow and liver, was also found to express IL-2R beta. In fetal thymus organ culture, the above thymocyte subset was induced to expand in response to exogeneous IL-2, and the expansion was inhibited by addition of anti-IL-2R beta mAb, suggesting that IL-2R beta is functional in this subpopulation. However, in vivo blockade of the IL-2/IL-2R pathway with the mAb did not exert any effects on the appearance of CD4-CD8- TcR alpha beta+ cells both in the thymus and the periphery. This indicates that the development of CD4-CD8- TcR alpha beta+ cells is not solely controlled by IL-2 but also by other complex elements.
Takeuchi
Y
Y
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Tanaka
T
T
Hamamura
K
K
Sugimoto
T
T
Miyasaka
M
M
Yagita
H
H
Okumura
K
K
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2