Induction of CD8 molecules on thymic gamma/delta T cells in vitro is dependent upon alpha/beta T cells.
Thymocytes differentiate upon interactions with microenvironmental components, but the precise role of different stromal cells, or other T cells, in early differentiative events remains unclear. Here we have analyzed the in vitro differentiation of double-negative (DN) thymocytes from young adult mice. We demonstrate that a substantial proportion of DN thymocytes differentiate into CD8+ gamma/delta T cells upon stimulation with concanavalin A and recombinant interleukin 2. However, if alpha/beta T cells are excluded from the initial population of DN thymocytes, the CD8+ gamma/delta T cells do not appear in the cultures. These results suggest a role for T-T cell interactions in thymic differentiative events, and provide evidence for physiological interactions between the alpha/beta and gamma/delta T cell compartments within the thymus.
Spetz
A L
AL
Biologie Moléculaire du Gène, U 277 INSERM, UA 535 CNRS, Stockholm, Stockholm.
Kourilsky
P
P
Larsson-Sciard
E L
EL
D000818:Animals; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000502:physiology*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000502:physiology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000502:physiology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology
D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D003208:Concanavalin A