Blockage of alpha beta T-cell development by TCR gamma delta transgenes.
T lymphocytes recognize antigens by means of T-cell receptors (TCR) composed of alpha beta or gamma delta heterodimers. The mechanism governing the development of alpha beta- and gamma delta-bearing T cells from a common precursor T cell is so far unknown. It has been proposed that T-cell precursors rearrange their gamma- and delta-chain genes first, and alpha beta T cells are generated only from those cells that fail to rearrange productively both gamma- and delta-chain genes. Our recent study on gamma delta-transgenic mice contradicted this hypothesis, however, and indicated that repression of gamma-chain gene expression mediated by a transcriptional silencer element has a critical role in the generation of alpha beta T cells. Here we report that the generation of alpha beta T cells is severely blocked in transgenic mice carrying gamma- and delta-chain transgenes without the associated silencer, thereby strengthening the validity of the silencer model of T-cell development.
Bonneville
M
M
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139.
Ishida
I
I
Mombaerts
P
P
Katsuki
M
M
Verbeek
S
S
Berns
A
A
Tonegawa
S
S
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic / Q000276:immunology; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA