title: Lymphocytes with a CD4+ CD8- CD3- phenotype are effectors of experimental cutaneous graft-versus-host disease.
abstract: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is known to cause profound dysregulation of the immune system, although its effector mechanisms are poorly understood. We now describe an effector lymphocyte of unusual phenotype in the skin of mice with GVHD. This cell is of donor origin and expresses several T-cell surface proteins including Thy-1, CD2, and CD4 but does not express CD8, CD3, NK1.1, or macrophage antigens. Mononuclear cells of this phenotype are the predominant lymphocyte in the epidermis of mice with GVHD 3 weeks after transplant but are not detected in transplanted mice without GVHD. Isolation and transfer of these lymphocytes into secondary recipients causes epidermal damage characteristic of GVHD. These data demonstrate that CD4+ CD8- CD3- lymphocytes are an important effector population that can be amplified outside the thymus and that can mediate target organ damage of GVHD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Michaelson
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bhan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abhyankar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silverstein
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Golan
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Burakoff
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ferrara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D010641:Phenotype; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate