title: IL-7 maintains the T cell precursor potential of CD3-CD4-CD8- thymocytes.
abstract: We and other investigators have reported that IL-4 (in the presence of PMA) or IL-7 (used alone) induce proliferation of both adult and fetal (gestation day 15) CD4-CD8- thymocytes. These results suggested that these cytokines may be growth factors for pre-T cells. However, we recently observed that among adult CD4-CD8- thymocytes, only the CD3+ subset proliferates in response to IL-7, whereas IL-4 + PMA induces proliferative responses in both CD3- and CD3+ subsets. Thus, we concluded that IL-7 used alone is not a potent growth stimulus for adult thymic CD3-CD4-CD8- triple negative (TN) T cell precursors. Interestingly, the viability of adult TN thymocytes in culture was improved by IL-7 for up to 1 wk, in spite of the inability of IL-7 to induce significant [3H]TdR incorporation in these cells. After culture in IL-7 for 4 days, the viable cells remained CD4-CD8-, but 25 to 35% expressed CD3 whereas the rest remained CD3-. In contrast, most of the cells cultured with IL-4 + PMA for 4 days remained TN. To investigate whether adult TN thymocytes that survive in vitro in the presence of IL-4 + PMA or IL-7 retain T cell progenitor potential, we tested whether they could reconstitute lymphoid cell-depleted (2-deoxyguanosine-treated) fetal thymus organ cultures. Our results demonstrate that TN cells cultured in IL-7 retain T cell progenitor potential.
authors.affiliation: DNAX Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Palo Alto, CA 94304.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zlotnik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000378:metabolism; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015851:Interleukin-7; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D015847:Interleukin-4; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate