title: Expansion of large granular lymphocytes in IL-2-driven 14-day-old fetal thymocytes in organ culture.
abstract: These experiments were designed to evaluate the role of cytokines in early T cell development within the thymus. By using a thymic organ culture model, we have studied the influence of high dose of IL-2 (10 to 1000 IU/ml) on the cell populations that are generated during 12 days starting from a thymic rudiment of 14-day-old mouse embryo. The IL-2 treatment resulted in the expansion of Thy-1+/-, CD4-, CD8-, CD3-, Fc gamma RII+, CD5 (Lyt-1)-, HSA-, Pgp- 1+, Mel-14- population. These cells had the morphology of large granular lymphocytes and displayed broad cytotoxic activity. In addition, IL-2-treated organ cultures had a dramatic decrease in CD4+CD8+ thymocytes, a marked reduction in TCR-alpha beta+ thymocytes--even more pronounced in the TCR-V beta 6+ and TCR-V beta 8+ thymocytes--and no significant changes in the number of TCR-gamma delta+ as compared to control organ cultures.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bacteriology, Virology and Immunology, University of Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plum
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koning
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leclercq
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tison
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Smedt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D000950:Antigens, Ly / Q000032:analysis; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000032:analysis; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D060245:Tetraspanin 29; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; C554870:Cd9 protein, mouse; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D060245:Tetraspanin 29; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens