title: Thymic dependence of invariant V alpha 14+ natural killer-T cell development.
abstract: Both thymic and extrathymic bone marrow (BM)-derived pathways for the development of CD1 reactive, Valpha14-Jalpha281(+) NK1.1(+) T cells have been suggested. In this report, we sought evidence for extrathymic NK-T cell development using two approaches. First, BM cells from gammac-deficient mice were examined for the presence of Valpha14-Jalpha281 transcripts. Since intrathymic NK-T cell selection is gammac independent, we predicted that gammac(-) BM cells should also harbor these specific TCRalpha chains. Second, Valpha14-Jalpha281 transcripts were analyzed in BM cells from lethally irradiated, thymectomized mice reconstituted with fetal liver hematopoietic precursors. All donor-derived T cell development in these chimeras is by definition extrathymic. In both cases, we failed to detect invariant Valpha14(+) TCRalpha chain transcripts. These experiments call into question the significance of an extrathymic pathway of development for Valpha14(+) NK1.1(+) CD1-reactive T cells.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U25 Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tilloy
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Di Santo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bendelac
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lantz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D005333:Fetus; D019673:Genes, T-Cell Receptor alpha / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011828:Radiation Chimera; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013934:Thymectomy; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; C045084:invariant chain