Expression of CD4 in transgenic mice alters the specificity of CD8 cells for allogeneic major histocompatibility complex.
We have generated a transgenic mouse line in which a CD4 transgene is expressed on a significant fraction of the mature CD8+ lymphocytes but is not expressed in the thymus. This provides an opportunity to examine the functional consequences of CD4 expression in a population of class I-selected CD8+ lymphocytes. CD8+ lymphocytes expressing the CD4 transgene proliferate in response to allogeneic class I and class II major histocompatibility complex, whereas CD8+ cells from control animals proliferate only to allogeneic class I gene products. These observations suggest that the ability of a T-cell population to react with class II allogeneic major histocompatibility complex is determined by the presence of CD4.
Robey
E
E
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032.
Ramsdell
F
F
Elliott
J
J
Raulet
D
D
Kioussis
D
D
Axel
R
R
Fowlkes
B J
BJ
D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II