Functional comparison of thymic B cells and dendritic cells in vivo.
In this report we present a transgenic mouse model in which we targeted gene expression specifically to B-lymphocytes. Using the human CD19 promoter, we expressed major histocompatibility complex class II I-E molecules specifically on B cells of all tissues, but not on other cell types. If only B cells expressed I-E in a class II-deficient background, positive selection of CD4(+) T cells could not be observed. A comparison of the frequencies of I-E reactive Vbeta5(+) and Vbeta11(+) T cells shows that I-E expression on thymic B cells is sufficient to negatively select I-E reactive CD4(+) T cells partially, but not CD8(+) T cells. Thus partial negative but no positive selection events can be induced by B-lymphocytes in vivo. (Blood. 2000;95:2610-2616)
Kleindienst
P
P
University Freiburg, Institute for Biology III, Max-Planck-Institute for Immunobiology, Freiburg, Germany.
Chretien
I
I
Winkler
T
T
Brocker
T
T
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*
D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; C024138:I-E-antigen; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta