Cloning of a novel cell type from human fetal liver expressing cytoplasmic CD3 delta and epsilon but not membrane CD3.
Seventeen-week human fetal liver cells cultured with a feeder cell mixture of irradiated PBL, irradiated JY cells (an EBV-transformed B cell line) and PHA contained a subpopulation of CD3- cells in addition to a major population of T cells with the mature phenotype. After 12 days in culture, CD3- CD16- cells were sorted and cloned by limiting dilution. Two representative clones, FL121 and FL125, were expanded and characterized. They shared the phenotype of CD2+CD3-CD4-CD5-CD6+CD16-CD56+. FL121 did not express CD8 whereas FL125 expressed CD8 alpha but not CD8 beta. Both clones were found to express cytoplasmic CD3 delta and CD3 epsilon Ag while CD3- NK clones isolated from PBL were negative for them. These results indicate that FL121 and FL125 were committed to the T-cell lineage. Southern blot analysis showed that the TCR beta genes and the TCR gamma genes of these clones were in the germ-line configuration. The establishment of FL121 and FL125 may provide a novel insight into the earliest stage of T-cell development in man.
Hori
T
T
Department of Human Immunology, DNAX Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1104.
de Waal Malefyt
R
R
Duncan
B W
BW
Harrison
M R
MR
Roncarolo
M G
MG
Spits
H
H
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell