Failure of T cell receptor V beta negative selection in an athymic environment.
The mature T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire is the result of selection events during T cell development. Previous assessment of TCR beta-chain selection with serologic and molecular probes demonstrated both positive and negative selection. Although this work suggested a critical role for the thymus, no direct assessment has been made of the requirement for a thymus in TCR V beta selection. A comparison of TCR V beta expression in four different congenic pairs of normal and nu/nu (athymic) mice indicated that the normal V beta deletions associated with tolerance to self minor lymphocyte stimulating (Mlsc) antigens or to self major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-encoded E alpha E beta products did not occur in most athymic mice. Thus, the thymus has a critical role in mediating self tolerance by negative selection.
Hodes
R J
RJ
Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Sharrow
S O
SO
Solomon
A
A
D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D015870:Gene Expression; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C / Q000276:immunology; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains / Q000276:immunology; D008819:Mice, Nude / Q000276:immunology*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D012016:Reference Values; D013045:Species Specificity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell