title: Growth of immature (double negative) rat thymocytes in the presence of IL-1.
abstract: It is unclear which growth factors, if any, are involved in the growth and differentiation of immature T cells in the thymus. Because IL-1 has been previously implicated in thymocyte proliferation, we examined the effects of IL-1 on precursor thymocytes, the CD4-CD8- or double-negative (DN) cells. We show that IL-1 (together with Con A) is a growth factor for DN, TCR- alpha beta-cells in vitro. After 5 days of culture in IL-1 and Con A, a number of phenotypic changes were observed and two subsets of DN cells were distinguished. One subset expressed full length TCR-alpha and -beta mRNA and surface alpha beta TCR, the other expressed low levels of full length TCR-gamma together with high levels of full length TCR-delta mRNA. Thus, DN cells are induced by IL-1 and Con A to proliferate and express TCR without parallel acquisition of CD4 or CD8 markers. These data suggest that IL-1 drives early steps of intrathymic T cell differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Program Resources Inc., NCI-Frederick Cancer Research Facility, MD.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Gotlieb
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Takacs
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gusella
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Durum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007375:Interleukin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D003208:Concanavalin A