Expression and biological activity of interleukin-1 receptors in mouse gamma/delta thymocytes during ontogeny.
We have recently shown that the response of mouse thymocytes to interleukin (IL)-1 + IL-2 was maximal at birth and that the responding cells displayed a CD4-CD8- T cell receptor (TcR) gamma/delta + phenotype. Unexpectedly, despite their high proportion of gamma/delta + cells, fetal thymocyte populations responded only weakly to IL-1 + IL-2. In this report, we demonstrate that the discrepancy between the day 17.5 fetal and newborn sensitivities to the combined action of IL-1 and IL-2 is a consequence of the different patterns of high-affinity IL-1 receptor (IL-1R) expression displayed by these two cell subsets. Actually, high- and low-affinity IL-1R are found in TcR gamma/delta + newborn cells and, in contrast, only low-affinity IL-1R are detectable in day 17.5 fetal cells. Our binding and functional studies strongly support the hypothesis that high-affinity IL-1R on the one hand, and low-affinity ones on the other hand, are involved in the response to IL-1 + IL-2 of newborn and day 17.5 fetal thymocytes, respectively. In addition, the high-affinity IL-1R appear to be far more efficient than the low-affinity receptors in promoting IL-2 responsiveness of thymocytes.
Liberman
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I
Unité d'Immunochimie analytique, Départment d'Immunologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Sarthou
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P
Cazenave
P A
PA
Rueff-Juy
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D
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000276:immunology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis*; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1