A population of CD62Llow Nk1.1- CD4+ T cells that resembles NK1.1+ CD4+ T cells.
In MHC class II-/- C57BL/6 (II-/-) mouse spleen, a small population of CD4+ T cells is present of which NK1.1+ CD4+ (NK) T cells comprise 40 to 45%. We report here that many of the NK1.1- CD4+ T cells derived from II-/- mice are also NK T cells. They produce large amounts of IL-4 in response to anti-CD3 ligation and do so without any requirement for the presence of IL-4 in the priming culture, a property characteristic of NK T cells. Their IFN-gamma production is large and is enhanced by IL-12. In addition, II-/- NK1.1- CD4+ T cells produce IL-4 as a result of culture with L cells expressing murine CD1 (L-CD1). We report that CD49b, a component of integrin VLA-2, is expressed on the majority of both NK1.1+ and NK1.1- NK T cells. NK1.1- NK T cells also exist in wild-type C57BL/6 mice. Evidence supporting this is that Vbeta8 usage by CD62Llow NK1.1- CD4+ T cells was approximately 5% higher than that by CD62Lhigh CD4+ T cells in wild-type mice in keeping with the estimated proportion of NK1.1- NK T cells in the CD62Llow population. CD62Llow CD4+ T cells from beta2-m(-/-) mice, which lack NK T cells, showed no increase in Vbeta8 usage. When activated by anti-CD3 or L-CD1, CD62Llow NK1.1- CD4+ T cells from conventional but not beta2-m(-/-) and CD1-/- mice produce IL-4 in a manner indistinguishable from II-/- NK1.1- CD4+ T cells. NK1.1- NK T cells in normal mouse spleens are approximately as numerous as NK1.1+ NK T cells.
Chen
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Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda 20892-1892, USA.
Paul
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D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D018949:Antigens, CD1 / Q000276:immunology; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015415:Biomarkers; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D039421:Integrin alpha2; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D019041:L-Selectin / Q000276:immunology*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D011506:Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
D000941:Antigens; D015703:Antigens, CD; D018949:Antigens, CD1; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015415:Biomarkers; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D039421:Integrin alpha2; C527211:Klrb1c protein, mouse; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D011506:Proteins; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D019041:L-Selectin; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma