title: Interleukin 1-induced maturation of progenitor thymocytes.
abstract: Regulation of thymocyte development was assessed by culturing purified CD4-CD8- thymocytes with cytokines. Sorted CD3-CD4-CD8- adult thymocytes responded to the combination of interleukin (IL) 1 plus IL 2 without additional mitogens or co-mitogens with both cellular proliferation and cell surface expression of the T cell receptor (TcR)/CD3 complex. IL2 alone induced neither proliferation nor cell surface TcR/CD3 expression. IL1 alone was sufficient to induce cell surface TcR/CD3 without proliferation. Prior to stimulation with cytokines, the progenitor CD4-CD8- thymocytes accumulated TcR beta and CD3 gamma, delta, epsilon and zeta mRNA but TcR alpha mRNA was not detectable. Stimulation with IL 1 led to a dramatic induction of TcR alpha mRNA without an increase in the other transcripts. These studies suggest that IL 1 regulates the differentiation status of immature adult thymocytes. Nuclear run-on studies suggested that the increase in TcR alpha mRNA accumulation induced by cytokines might result from post-transcriptional accumulation.
authors.affiliation: Cellular Immunology Section, ARB, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takashi
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Gause
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: MacLeod
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Steinberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007375:Interleukin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell