Ontogeny and function of B220+ L3T4+ T-cell subset of MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice.
T-cell-enriched populations obtained from lymph nodes (LNs) of 4-month-old MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL-lpr), C3H/HeJ-lpr/lpr (C3H-lpr), and C3H/HeJ-gld/gld (C3H-gld) mice were studied for the expression of B220, L3T4, and Lyt 2 antigens. A new B220+ L3T4+ phenotype was demonstrated in T-cell populations of these mice by two-color flow cytometry with phycoerythrin-conjugated monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) to L3T4 and FITC-anti-B220 MoAb. The generation of the T subset was apparently under the influence of the lpr or gld gene, since it could not be demonstrated in T-cell-enriched populations of MRL/Mp- +/+ and normal C3H mice. The expression level of L3T4 antigen on the T subset was lower than that on B220- L3T4+ cells, while the level of B220 antigen was similar to that of B220+ L3T4- or B220+ Lyt 2- cells. The B220+ L3T4+ phenotype appeared in LNs and spleens, but not in thymuses, of MRL-lpr mice as early as 2 months of age. Its proportion to whole LN T cells at this age was equivalent to that observed in 4-month-old mice. Functional studies on FACS-sorted cell populations revealed that the T subset similar to B220+ L3T4- cells possessed deficiencies in the IL-2-IL-2 receptor system. The appearance of the T subset with an intermediate phenotype and its functional defects suggests that lpr and gld genes in these autoimmune mice exert their influences on the ontogeny and function of L3T4+ T cells and contribute to the induction of early lupus.
Kariyone
A
A
Department of Immunology, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Takiguchi
M
M
Igarashi
S
S
Kano
K
K
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D000950:Antigens, Ly / Q000032:analysis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002469:Cell Separation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens