Differential effects of Bcl-2 on T and B cells in transgenic mice.
We have produced bcl-2 transgenic mice by using a construct which mimics the t(14;18) translocation in human follicular lymphomas. Although lymphoid tissues from all transgenic mice contained high levels of human Bcl-2 protein, transgene expression was differentially regulated within the B- and T-cell compartments of lines derived from various founder mice. We have characterized the phenotypes of two lines of bcl-2 transgenic mice (line 2 and line 6) in which bcl-2 transgene expression was restricted primarily to the T- or B-cell lineages, respectively. Analysis of line 6 lymphocytes revealed a polyclonal expansion of B cells, and these B cells exhibited prolonged survival in vitro. In line 2 mice, numbers of T cells in the peripheral lymphoid tissues were more moderately elevated despite enhanced T-cell survival in vitro. Line 2 transgenic mice also showed significantly increased proportions of thymocytes with a mature phenotype. Taken together, these findings suggest different roles for bcl-2 in the in vivo regulation of B- and T-cell development and homeostasis.
Katsumata
M
M
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104-6082.
Siegel
R M
RM
Louie
D C
DC
Miyashita
T
T
Tsujimoto
Y
Y
Nowell
P C
PC
Greene
M I
MI
Reed
J C
JC
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival; D015870:Gene Expression; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology
D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2