Thymic lymphoma cells as a model for complex-formation between thymocytes and thymic medullary epithelial cells.
The formation of complexes between thymocytes and thymic stromal elements is known to be involved in T cell differentiation. We have previously described one type of lympho-stromal interaction involving CD4+ CD8+ thymocytes and a medullary epithelial cell line (E-5). In this study we report the potential for complex formation of two different thymic lymphoma cell lines (Ti-6 and RDM-4). Ti-6 cells were shown to adhere to the E-5 cells, while RDM-4 cells were totally incompetent. Phenotypic characterization of these cell lines suggests that immature thymocytes are not capable of forming complexes with medullary epithelium and that a certain level of differentiation is required to do so. Comparison of their phenotypes showed that the possibility of some classical T cell surface markers being the receptor for the E-5 ligand can be dismissed.
Hugo
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P
Centre de Recherche en Immunologie, Institut Armand-Frappier, Laval, QC, Canada.
Mittal
A
A
Potworowski
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EF
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D008223:Lymphoma; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008954:Models, Biological; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001685:Biological Factors