In vivo and in vitro repertoire of CD3+CD4-CD8- thymocytes.
CD4-CD8- thymocytes contain a cell subset which expresses the complete CD3-TCR complex (alpha/beta or gamma/delta) of which the ontogeny and filiation are unknown. One of the questions is whether this population can be intrathymically selected, an obligatory step for the mature CD4+ and CD8+ cell differentiation pathway, or if the absence of CD4 an CD8 allows them to escape thymic selection. The repertoire of CD3+CD4-CD8- (CD3+ DN) thymocytes was analyzed in different strains of mice with different combinations of H-2 and Mls expression. The expression of V beta 8.1 in freshly isolated CD3+ DN cells is the highest in Mls-1b mice and the lowest in Mls-1a and F1 mice, suggesting that selection against this specificity can be achieved in vivo. By contrast, a low percentage of V beta 6+ cells is found in all the strains, with no correlation according to Mls expression. In vitro culture of DN thymocytes with IL-1 and IL-2 leads to the proliferation of CD3+ DN cells. In vitro culture amplifies the in vivo pattern of V beta 8.1 expression, while V beta 6+ cells only expand in DN cells of B6 and B10D2 Mls-1b mice with the same genetic background.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Papiernik
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M
INSERM U 25, CNRS UA 122, Hôpital Necker, Paris, France.
Pontoux
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C
D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010641:Phenotype; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D013045:Species Specificity; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta