title: Depletion of mouse alpha beta T cell antigen receptor bearing lymphocytes by neonatal monoclonal antibody treatment.
abstract: Neonatal treatment with a monoclonal antibody specific for the alpha beta TCR results in mice with a long term, severe depletion in the number of alpha beta T cells in the periphery. Significant numbers of T cells reappear in the periphery about age 65 days, but these cells tend to lack expression of CD4 or CD8. Splenocytes of antibody-treated mice are less sensitive to mitogen stimulation or stimulation with MHC allogeneic cells. The level of serum IgG but not IgM was decreased by the treatment. Anti-alpha beta TCR antibody treatment decreased single-positive T lymphocytes that express high levels of the CD3/alpha beta TCR complex from the thymus, suggesting that the treatment could act in part by affecting negative selection of alpha beta TCR+ thymocytes. This treatment does not, however, detectably affect either the homing or the numbers of gamma delta T cells which are abundant in the intestinal epithelium, but which remain a minor population in the spleen and lymph nodes. This supports the hypothesis that gamma delta T cells are developmentally autonomous from alpha beta T cells. These mice provide an excellent model system for assessing the developmental and functional role of gamma delta T lymphocytes in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine.
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Mixter
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Sydora
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hershberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kronenberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D051379:Mice; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta