Synchronous deletion of Mtv-superantigen-reactive thymocytes in the CD3(medium/high) CD4(+)CD8(+) subset.
Multiple model systems have demonstrated that negatively selected thymocytes can be deleted during the immature CD4(+)CD8(+) CD3(low) stage after high affinity interaction of T-cell receptors (TCRs) with antigen:major histocompatibility complex (MHC) complexes. Superantigens (SAGs) derived from endogenous mammary tumour viruses (Mtv) induce negative selection of Mtv-SAG-reactive thymocytes regardless of which peptide antigen is presented by MHC molecules. In this study, the timing of deletion of multiple subsets of Mtv-SAG-reactive CD4(+)CD8(+) thymocytes was investigated by a 4 colour flow cytometry in SJL x CBA/J cross-bred mice. Deletion of V beta 3(+), V beta 5(+), V beta 11(+), and V beta 17(+) Mtv-SAG-reactive thymocytes was found to occur synchronously in the most mature CD3(medium) and early CD3(high) subsets of CD4(+)CD8(+) thymocytes, in contrast with reports showing that the deletion of Mtv-SAG-reactive thymocytes can occur at different stages in particular model systems.
Sheard
M A
MA
Department of Cellular and Molecular Oncology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, The Czech Republic. sheard@mou.cz
Sharrow
S O
SO
Takahama
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D002678:Chimera; D017637:Clonal Deletion; D005260:Female; D008324:Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology*; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D015703:Antigens, CD; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D018089:Superantigens; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins