title: Identity of cells that imprint H-2-restricted T-cell specificity in the thymus.
abstract: The thymus has two important roles in controlling the specificity of T lymphocytes. First, T cells differentiating in the thymus are rendered tolerant of 'self' antigens, particularly antigens encoded by the major histocompatibility complex, the H-2 complex in mice. Second, the thymus imbues T cells with the property of H-2-restricted recognition of antigen, that is, the capacity of T cells to react with foreign antigens presented in association with self H-2 gene products. Until recently it has generally been assumed that self-tolerance and H-2-restricted specificity both reflect early T-cell contact with self H-2 determinants expressed on thymic epithelial cells. Recent evidence suggests, however, that intrathymic cells of the macrophage/dendritic cell (Mphi/DC) lineage also have a role in shaping T-cell specificity. In particular, it has been found that the tolerance to graft-type H-2 determinants which normally ensues when T cells differentiate in an H-2-different thymus fails to occur when the thymus is pretreated with deoxyguanosine (dGuo), a procedure that selectively destroys Mphi/DC but spares epithelial cells. In contrast to these findings on tolerance induction, evidence is presented here that dGuo-treated thymus grafts do imprint T cells with H--2-restricted specificity for antigen. It appears, therefore, that induction of tolerance and H--2 restriction are controlled by different cells in the thymus.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006579:Heterozygote; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011828:Radiation Chimera; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006183:H-2 Antigens; D003849:Deoxyguanosine