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.
Department of Microbiology, Tohoku University School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan.
S
S
Seki
T
T
Abo
T
T
Masuda
T
T
Ohteki
A
A
Kanno
K
K
Takeda
H
H
Rikiishi
H
H
Nagura
K
K
Kumagai
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