Beta-selection: abundance of TCRbeta-/gammadelta- CD44- CD25- (DN4) cells in the foetal thymus.
Expression of TCRbeta and pre-TCR signalling are essential for differentiation of CD4- CD8- double negative (DN) thymocytes to the CD4+ CD8+ double-positive (DP) stage. Thymocyte development in adult Rag1, Rag2 or TCRbetadelta-deficient mice is arrested at the DN3 stage leading to the assumption that pre-TCR signalling and beta-selection occur at, and are obligatory for, the transition from DN3 to DN4. We show that the majority of DN3 and DN4 cells that differentiate during early embryogenesis in wild-type mice do not express intracellular (ic) TCRbeta/gammadelta. These foetal icTCRbeta-/gammadelta- DN4 cells were T lineage as determined by expression of Thy1 and icCD3 and TCRbeta DJ rearrangement. In addition, in the foetal Rag1-/- thymus, a normal percentage of DN4 cells were present. In wild-type mice after hydrocortisone-induced synchronisation of differentiation, the majority of DN4 cells that first emerged did not express icTCRbeta/gammadelta, showing that adult thymocytes can also differentiate to the DN4 stage independently of pre-TCR signalling. Pre-TCR signalling induced expansion in the DN4 population, but lack of TCRbeta/gammadelta expression did not immediately induce apoptosis. Our data demonstrate in vivo differentiation from DN3 to DN4 cell in the absence of TCRbeta/gammadelta expression in the foetal thymus, and after hydrocortisone treatment of adult mice.
Hager-Theodorides
Ariadne L
AL
Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Rowbotham
Nicola J
NJ
Outram
Susan V
SV
Dessens
Johannes T
JT
Crompton
Tessa
T
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000276:immunology; D005333:Fetus; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor / Q000276:immunology*; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000276:immunology; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology
D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell