Thy-1+ epidermal cells in nude mice are distinct from their counterparts in thymus-bearing mice. A study of morphology, function, and T cell receptor expression.
We have evaluated the morphology, function, and TCR mRNA and DNA profiles of Thy-1+ epidermal cells (EC) derived from athymic (nude) mice. Based on these criteria we demonstrate that Thy-1+ EC in nude mice are predominantly round and angular and located in follicular epithelium, as compared to predominantly dendritic, interfollicular Thy-1+ EC found in normal CBA or BALB/c mice. Functionally, Thy-1+ EC from normal mice proliferate and elaborate IL-2 in response to stimulation by Con A; by contrast, nude Thy-1+ EC fail to proliferate or secrete IL-2 in response to Con A. Nude Thy-1+ EC proliferate markedly in response to low-dose IL-2 alone; Thy-1+ EC from normal mice give only modest proliferative responses to IL-2. Both populations of cells proliferate and elaborate IL-2 in response to PMA and calcium ionophore. Short-term cultured Thy-1+ EC from nude mice resemble Thy-1+ EC from normal animals in that they express no detectable functional TCR-alpha and beta-RNA. Normal Thy-1+ EC express abundant levels of functional RNA for TCR-gamma and delta-chains and for the CD3 delta-chain, whereas nude Thy-1+ EC produce no detectable TCR-delta and no CD3 delta-RNA and only truncated, presumably germ-line TCR-gamma transcripts, as suggested by lack of hybridization with gamma-V region probes and by lack of detectable rearrangements in the gamma-genes. These phenotypic, functional, and genotypic characteristics of Thy-1+ EC from nude mice suggest that these cells are at a very early stage of T cell differentiation.
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003208:Concanavalin A; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004987:Ethers / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D015759:Ionomycin; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology*
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D004987:Ethers; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; D003208:Concanavalin A; D015759:Ionomycin; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate