Thymic interdigitating cells express thioredoxin (TRX/ADF): an immunohistochemical study of 82 thymus and thymoma samples.
Thymic ID cells are involved in the differentiation of mature T cells which are resistant against apoptosis. TRX/ADF is a potent thiol-related reducing agent, acts as a redox regulator, and it can attenuate the induction of apoptosis of T lineage lymphocytes. In the present study, 42 thymoma-free thymus and 40 thymoma samples were examined to identify the expression of TRX/ADF in human thymic tissue. TRX/ADF high-producer (TRXh) cells with cytoplasmic protrusions were found distributed in the thymic medulla. These TRXh cells were negative for CD3, a lymphocyte marker, keratin, an epithelial cell marker, and CD68 or lysozyme, macrophage/monocyte markers, but were positive for S100 protein and HLA-DR complex. Our results revealed that the TRXh cells in the thymic medulla were ID cells. As TRX/ADF has an important and fundamental role in cellular responses acting against oxidative stress, TRX/ADF may provide an explanation of cellular interaction between the medullary ID cells and the mature T cells.
Go
T
T
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kyoto University, Japan.
Isowa
N
N
Hirata
T
T
Yodoi
J
J
Hitomi
S
S
Wada
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000378:metabolism; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009113:Muramidase / Q000378:metabolism; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013879:Thioredoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016207:Cytokines; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007633:Keratins; D009113:Muramidase; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009418:S100 Proteins; D013879:Thioredoxins; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule; C055533:adult T cell leukemia-derived factor