Ontogeny of the response of mouse thymocytes to interleukin 1 and interleukin 2.
In the present report we demonstrate that the in vitro proliferative response of the newborn thymocytes to interleukin (IL) 1 and IL 2, which is remarkably stronger than the adult thymocyte response, is associated with a considerable increase of CD4-CD8- cells expressing a gamma/delta T cell receptor (TcR). By polymerase chain reaction analysis we show that the V gamma gene segment usage in the adult and newborn responding cells reflects the developmentally regulated expression of the V gamma gene segments, suggesting that the increase in TcR gamma/delta+ cells results from the polyclonal expansion of pre-existing clones. Surprisingly, although the fetal thymocyte populations contain higher numbers of TcR gamma/delta+ cells than the adult and newborn ones, the highest proliferative response to IL 1 and IL 2 is obtained with the newborn thymocytes. Non mutually exclusive hypotheses are discussed to explain these results.
Liberman
I
I
Département d'Immunologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Drapier
A M
AM
Marche
P N
PN
Cazenave
P A
PA
Rueff-Juy
D
D
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D010641:Phenotype; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D003208:Concanavalin A