title: CD4+Thy1- thymocytes with a Th-type 2 cytokine response.
abstract: We have identified a small subset of CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(-) thymocytes that do not express Thy1 (CD90). This Thy1(-) subset represents 1-3.7% of the total number of thymocytes in a naive mouse. CD4(+)Thy1(-) thymocytes express high levels of CD3, intermediate to high levels of heat-stable antigen (HSA), and low levels of CD25, CD45RB, CD69, CD44 and CD62L. They produce high titers of IL-4 and no IFN-gamma upon stimulation in vitro, a response characteristic of T(h)2 cells. In the thymi of mice infected neonatally with a high dose of the retrovirus Cas-Br-E MuLV, the frequency of CD4(+)Thy1(-) cells increased approximately 10-fold. High-dose virus infection resulted in decreased HSA and increased CD44 expression on CD4(+)Thy1(-) cells relative to cells from naive mice. CD4(+)Thy1(-) cells from high-dose infected mice also secreted IL-4 and not IFN-gamma upon in vitro stimulation. We previously reported that infection of newborn mice with a high dose of murine retrovirus results in the induction of a non-protective anti-viral T(h)2 T cell response; CD4(+)Thy1(-) thymocytes with a T(h)2-like cytokine profile may play a role in determining the cytokine bias of this anti-viral response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3010, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Cerasoli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kelsoe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarzotti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001284:Atrophy; D015415:Biomarkers; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D009052:Leukemia Virus, Murine / Q000276:immunology; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015415:Biomarkers; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016207:Cytokines; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens