Dendritic epidermal T cells: activation requirements and phenotypic characterization of proliferating cells.
Dendritic epidermal T cells (DETC) are CD45+, Thy-1+, CD5-, CD8-, CD4- murine lymphocytes that express surface-bound CD3 antigens associated with T cell receptor gamma/delta heterodimers. Using epidermal cells greatly enriched for DETC and depleted of Langerhans cells, we found that DETC have growth requirements quite different from those of accessory cell-depleted lymph node and splenic T cells. Although the latter cells strongly proliferate in response to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) + ionomycin, DETC, when exposed to interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-3 (IL-3), concanavalin A (ConA), PMA, and ionomycin used either alone or in combination, do not exhibit significant mitotic activity. Recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL-2), albeit ineffective by itself, leads to vigorous proliferation of DETC when used with either ConA or PMA + ionomycin + IL-1. In contrast, the combination of PMA and recombinant interleukin-4 (rIL-4), which triggers growth of lymph node T cells, does not induce proliferation of DETC. Although a portion of proliferating DETC expressed CD8 antigens, essentially none bore detectable amounts of surface-bound CD4 or CD5 antigens, or both. Continuing stimulation of primary DETC cultures with lectin/lymphokine-rich media results in the propagation of cells with the essential phenotypic features of resident DETC.
Tschachler
E
E
Department of Dermatology I., University of Vienna Medical School, Austria.
Steiner
G
G
Yamada
H
H
Elbe
A
A
Wolff
K
K
Stingl
G
G
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens