Intrathymic maturation of CD4+ T-lymphocytes in an MHC class II deficient transplant model.
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II knockout (class II-) mice fail to generate CD4+ CD8- T-lymphocytes. We were interested in determining whether these class II- mice could be reconstituted with CD4+ CD8- T-lymphocytes following marrow transplantation from normal (class II+) donors. Transplantation of class II+ marrow into lethally irradiated class II- recipients failed to generate peripheral CD4+ CD8- T-lymphocytes. Unexpectedly, however, transplantation of class II marrow into class II+ recipients also resulted in a deficiency of CD4+ CD8- cells. Analysis of intrathymic T cells showed normal distribution of CD4 and CD8 single and double positive or negative thymocytes in normal recipients, while class II- recipients always lacked CD4+ CD8- T cells intrathymically. These results suggest, therefore, that T-cell maturation in mice requires the presence of MHC class II antigens not only in the thymus but also on immature, marrow-derived pre-thymocytes.
Huss
R
R
Institute of Pathology, University of Munich, Germany.
Deeg
H J
HJ
D000818:Animals; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D018183:Transplantation Chimera
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II