Class II major histocompatibility complex molecules regulate the development of the T4+T8- inducer phenotype of cultured human thymocytes.
We demonstrate that a variety of Ia+ cells has the ability to promote the development of human T4+T8- thymocytes in vitro. Prolonged thymocyte culture in the absence of Ia+ accessory cells results in a predominantly T8+T4- cell population. The generation of T4+ cells in the presence of irradiated Ia+ cells could be suppressed up to 70% by a monoclonal antibody directed against a nonpolymorphic epitope on HLA-DR. Using two-color fluorescence sorting techniques, we were able to identify the activated T4+T8+ thymocyte as the cell that interacts with Ia and gives rise to the T4+T8- cell subset. These results directly and specifically implicate class II major histocompatibility complex molecules in the differentiative pathway of the human thymocyte.
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M L
ML
Daley
J F
JF
Levine
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H
Schlossman
S F
SF
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II