Influence of MHC on thymus repopulation following intrathymic transfer of mouse T-cell precursors.
T-cell precursors (pre-T cells) traditionally have been detected by their ability to repopulate the thymus of heavily irradiated mice following intravenous injection. Recently, an assay system involving the direct injection of pre-T cells into the thymus of sublethally irradiated animals has been described. Here we report the results of experiments designed to evaluate the ability of bone marrow cells to produce thymic repopulation following intrathymic injection in a wide range of donor-host strain combinations. Irradiated (600 R) mice were injected intrathymically with 2 X 10(6) bone marrow cells which differed from the recipient with respect to their Thy-1 allotype and the percentage of thymus cells expressing either donor- or recipient-type Thy-1 was determined 9 to 23 days after injection. The results of these experiments showed that thymocytes expressing the Thy-1 allotype derived from the donor marrow were only detected when the donor and host were matched at MHC. By contrast, thymic repopulation by MHC-mismatched donor marrow cells could readily be observed when these cells were given intravenously.
D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002455:Cell Division; D006087:Graft vs Host Reaction / Q000528:radiation effects; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007267:Injections; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000637:transplantation*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*