Developmentally regulated expression of survivin in the human thymus.
Survivin is a member of the inhibitor-of-apoptosis (IAP) family. It has been reported to be expressed during development, but not in differentiated normal tissue. However, its expression has been reported to be high in the thymus. To assess the role of survivin in human thymocyte development, we investigated the expression of survivin using reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry in freshly isolated human thymocytes. Survivin was expressed in all thymocyte subsets but its expression level was developmentally regulated. Its expression was low in the double negative (DN) thymocytes, upregulated in double positive (DP) thymocytes, and was highest in the T-cell receptor(high), late DP thymocytes; it was then downregulated in the single positive thymocytes and negative in the peripheral blood T cells. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between the expression of survivin and that of CD69 and Bcl-2 in DP thymocytes. These results suggest that survivin may play an important role in the T-cell development in the human thymus.
Kobayashi
Yoshihiro
Y
Department of Surgery II, Nagoya City University Medical School, Nagoya, Japan.
Yukiue
Haruhiro
H
Sasaki
Hidefumi
H
Fukai
Ichiro
I
Yokoyama
Tomoki
T
Kiriyama
Masanobu
M
Yamakawa
Yosuke
Y
Maeda
Masanobu
M
Fujii
Yoshitaka
Y
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000077022:Survivin; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D000077022:Survivin; D000099192:CD69 Antigens; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human