title: Development of the CD4 and CD8 lineage of T cells: instruction versus selection.
abstract: T cells bearing the alpha beta T cell receptor (TCR) can be divided into CD4+8- and CD4-8+ subsets which develop in the thymus from CD4+8+ precursors. The commitment to the CD4 and CD8 lineage depends on the binding of the alpha beta TCR to thymic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) coded class II and class I molecules, respectively. In an instructive model of lineage commitment, the binding of the alpha beta TCR, for instance to class I MHC molecules, would generate a specific signal instructing the CD4+8+ precursors to switch off the expression of the CD4 gene. In a selective model, the initial commitment, i.e. switching off the expression of either the CD4 or the CD8 gene would be a stochastic event which is then followed by a selective step rescuing only CD4+ class II and CD8+ class I specific T cells while CD4+ class I and CD8+ class II specific cells would have a very short lifespan. The selective model predicts that a CD8 transgene which is expressed in all immature and mature T cells should rescue CD4+ class I MHC specific T cells from cell death. We have performed experiments in CD8 transgenic mice which fail to support a selective model and we present data which show that the binding of the alpha beta TCR to thymic class I MHC molecules results in up-regulation of the TCR in the CD4+8+ population. Therefore, these experiments are consistent with an instructive model of lineage commitment.
authors.affiliation: Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borgulya
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kishi
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kirberg
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: von Boehmer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell