title: CD3 epsilon-mediated signals rescue the development of CD4+CD8+ thymocytes in RAG-2-/- mice in the absence of TCR beta chain expression.
abstract: Recent studies have shown that TCR beta chain expression can effect the differentiation of CD4-CD8- double-negative (DN) thymocytes to CD4+CD8+ double-positive (DP) thymocytes. The TCR beta chain is expressed on the surface of DP thymocytes in association with CD3 gamma, delta and epsilon chains, suggesting a potential role for CD3 components in this signaling process. We now report detection of a very low level of surface expression of CD3 epsilon on adult DN RAG-2-/- thymocytes. This surface CD3 epsilon was associated with CD3 gamma and delta chains, as detected by anti-CD3 epsilon immunoprecipitation analyses. Significantly, injection of anti-CD3 epsilon mAb into RAG-2-/- mice led to the accumulation of an IL-2R alpha- CD2+ DP cell population and a nearly 100-fold increase in thymic cellularity to essentially normal levels. Together, these data strongly indicate that TCR beta chain-mediated developmental signals are transduced by CD3 components and provide potential insights into mechanisms by which TCR beta chain expression may effect this process.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shinkai
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Alt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D011506:Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D017252:CD3 Complex; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D011506:Proteins; C499308:Rag2 protein, mouse; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; C064655:V(D)J recombination activating protein 2