Thymic requirement for clonal deletion during T cell development.
During T cell differentiation, self tolerance is established in part by the deletion of self-reactive T cells within the thymus (negative selection). The presence of T cell receptor (TCR)-alpha beta + T cells in older athymic (nu/nu) mice indicates that some T cells can also mature without thymic influence. Therefore, to determine whether the thymus is required for negative selection, TCR V beta expression was compared in athymic nu/nu mice and their congenic normal littermates. T cells expressing V beta 3 proteins are specific for minor lymphocyte stimulatory (Mlsc) determinants and are deleted intrathymically due to self tolerance in Mlsc+ mouse strains. Here it is shown that V beta 3+ T cells are deleted in Mlsc+ BALB/c nu/+ mice, but not in their BALB/c nu/nu littermates. Thus, the thymus is required for clonal deletion during T cell development.
Fry
A M
AM
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Jones
L A
LA
Kruisbeek
A M
AM
Matis
L A
LA
D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015870:Gene Expression; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell