T cell tolerance to a neo-self antigen expressed by thymic epithelial cells: the soluble form is more effective than the membrane-bound form.
We have previously shown that transgenic (Tg) mice expressing either soluble or membrane-bound hen egg lysozyme (sHEL or mHEL, respectively) under control of the alphaA-crystallin promoter develop tolerance due to thymic expression of minuscule amounts of HEL. To further address the mechanisms by which this tolerance develops, we mated these two lines of Tg mice with the 3A9 line of HEL-specific TCR Tg mice, to produce double-Tg mice. Both lines of double-Tg mice showed deletion of HEL-specific T cells, demonstrated by reduction in numbers of these cells in the thymus and periphery, as well as by reduced proliferative response to HEL in vitro. In addition, the actual deletional process in thymi of the double-Tg mice was visualized in situ by the TUNEL assay and measured by binding of Annexin V. Notably, the apoptosis localized mainly in the thymic medulla, in line with the finding that the populations showing deletion and increased Annexin V binding consisted mainly of single- and double-positive thymocytes. Interestingly, the thymic deletional effect of sHEL was superior to that of mHEL in contrast to the opposite differential tolerogenic effects of these HEL forms on B cells specific to this Ag. Analysis of bone marrow chimeras indicates that both forms of HEL are produced by irradiation-resistant thymic stromal cells and the data suggest that sHEL is more effective in deleting 3A9 T cells due mainly to its higher accessibility to cross-presentation by dendritic APC.
Zhang
Meifen
M
National Eye Institute and National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Vacchio
Melanie S
MS
Vistica
Barbara P
BP
Lesage
Sylvie
S
Egwuagu
Charles E
CE
Yu
Cheng-Rong
CR
Gelderman
Monique P
MP
Kennedy
Michael C
MC
Wawrousek
Eric F
EF
Gery
Igal
I
D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000235:genetics; D000941:Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D017637:Clonal Deletion / Q000235:genetics; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005123:Eye / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009113:Muramidase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D017634:Self Tolerance / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012995:Solubility; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
D000941:Antigens; D001324:Autoantigens; D005136:Eye Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C421864:hen egg lysozyme; D009113:Muramidase