Failure of T cell receptor V beta negative selection in murine intestinal intra-epithelial lymphocytes.
The intestinal intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IEL) are divided into several subsets on the basis of expression of T cell receptor (TCR) alpha beta and gamma delta, intensity of Thy-1 expression and expression of Lyt-3 chain. To investigate the differentiation pathway of the IEL, we examined the repertoire of V beta segments of T cells in the IEL in BALB/c (H-2d, MIs-1b2a) or AKR/J (H-2k, MIs-1a2b) mice. Among freshly isolated IEL, an appreciable number of T cells bearing V beta 3 or V beta 11, which recognize MIs-2a- or MHC IE-encoded molecules respectively, were detected in BALB/c mice. Similarly, in AKR/J mice, IEL contained appreciable levels of V beta 6-bearing T cells. V beta 3- or V beta 11-bearing T cells in the IEL in BALB/c mice increased to a significant level when incubated with staphylococcal enterotoxin A which specifically stimulates V beta 3- and V beta 11-bearing T cells. Most of IEL without clonal deletion expressed Lyt-2 but not Lyt-3 antigens. Such T cells were hardly detected in other organs, including liver. Our results indicate that TCR alpha beta-bearing intestinal IEL that have not undergone negative selection may have differentiated outside the thymus, presumably at a local site of the intestine and can respond normally to the signal via their TCR.
Murosaki
S
S
Department of Immunology, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Yoshikai
Y
Y
Ishida
A
A
Nakamura
T
T
Matsuzaki
G
G
Takimoto
H
H
Yuuki
H
H
Nomoto
K
K
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology*; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015870:Gene Expression; D015332:Gene Rearrangement, alpha-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor / Q000276:immunology*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008819:Mice, Nude; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000276:immunology*; D010641:Phenotype; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta