T cell functional defect associated with thymid epithelial cell injury induced by a graft-versus-host reaction.
The injection of parental strain cells into adrenalectomized (CBA x A)F1 mice induced a graft-versus-host (GVH) reaction which was morphologically characterized by thymus epithelial cell injury but not stress-related thymic involution. Thymocytes from mice undergoing a GVH reaction were studied for their ability to reconstitute allograft reactivity in thymectomized, irradiated, bone marrow reconstituted (ATxBM) (CBA x A)F1 mice. Thymocytes of mice experiencing a GVH reaction were theta-positive during the course of the reaction, however, by 40 days after GVH induction these thymocytes were unable to reconstitute allograft reactivity to H-2-incompatible skin grafts. It is proposed that GVH-induced thymic epithelial cell injury prevents or arrests normal T cell differentiation, resulting in a population of thymocytes which lack complete functional capability.
D000818:Animals; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006087:Graft vs Host Reaction; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014181:Transplantation Immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous