Identification of activated T cell receptor gamma delta lymphocytes in the liver of tumor-bearing hosts.
T cell receptor (TcR)gamma delta cells are known to be a minor population of T lymphocytes in the blood (less than 10%) and other peripheral lymphoid organs in healthy donors. We demonstrated here that a large proportion of TcR gamma delta cells, i.e., up to 30% of mononuclear cells (MNC) were detectable in the liver, but not other lymphoid organs of cancer patients. More importantly, the majority of such TcR gamma delta cells (greater than 70%) were shown to be lymphoblastic by electron microscopy. An activation marker of T lymphocytes, Leu-19 (CD56) was also highly expressed on the hepatic TcR gamma delta cells. The possibility of hepatic TcR gamma delta cells being activated was further examined in mice. C3H/He mice injected with syngeneic tumor cells were demonstrated to have an increased number of liver MNC; such MNC showed an ability to proliferate in vitro. These mice eventually had a considerable proportion of TcR gamma delta cells in the liver, showing activation markers, the Ia and LFA-1 antigens. These results suggest that the liver may be an important organ for activation and probably expansion of TcR gamma delta cells especially in tumor bearing hosts.
Seki
S
S
Department of Microbiology, Tohoku University School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan.
Abo
T
T
Masuda
T
T
Ohteki
T
T
Kanno
A
A
Takeda
K
K
Rikiishi
H
H
Nagura
H
H
Kumagai
K
K
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000145:classification*; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000032:analysis; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D016028:Receptors, Leukocyte-Adhesion / Q000032:analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D016028:Receptors, Leukocyte-Adhesion