Thymic epithelial cell-derived supernatants sustain the maturation of human prothymocytes: involvement of interleukin 1 and CD23.
During their development, human CD7+ lymphoid stem cells migrate into the thymus where, following intimate contact with thymic tissue, they proliferate and differentiate into functionally mature T lymphocytes. In this study, we investigated the effect of thymic epithelial cell-derived supernatants (TEC-SN) on early CD7+CD2-CD3- thymocytes. Our results indicate that TEC-SN are able to promote CD2 and CD3/TcR alpha/beta expression by CD7+ precursors. This activity correlated with soluble CD23 and interleukin 1 levels in TEC-SN. Furthermore, monoclonal antibodies to these cytokines decreased in vitro maturation of prothymocytes. Thus, in addition to cell-cell interactions, human TEC produce cytokines able to support early steps of thymocyte differentiation.
Dalloul
A H
AH
Groupe d'Immuno-hématologie Moléculaire, CNRS URA 625, CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
Fourcade
C
C
Debré
P
P
Mossalayi
M D
MD
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D019011:Antigens, CD7; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000502:physiology*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000502:physiology; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000502:physiology*; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D019011:Antigens, CD7; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D007375:Interleukin-1; D008222:Lymphokines; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D017455:Receptors, IgE