Development of immunocompetent lymphocytes in vivo from murine umbilical cord blood cells.
BACKGROUND
Reports concerning the immunological functions of lymphocytes derived from umbilical cord blood cell (UCBC) have been limited.


METHODS
In murine syngeneic transplantation system using green fluorescent protein transgenic donors, UCBC-derived lymphocytes were studied for their immunological competence.


RESULTS
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) among UCBC differentiated in the recipients into phenotypically mature T and B lymphocytes. The T lymphocytes were capable of specific recognition of major histocompatibility complex/peptide complex and of the subsequent activation. The antigen-induced CD4(+) T cells produced lymphokine upon in vitro antigen stimulation. CD8(+) T cells simulated in the mixed lymphocyte culture could lyze specific target cells. Furthermore, RAG2(-/-) mice reconstituted with UCBC mounted specific antibody responses to T-dependent antigen comparable to those by bone marrow chimeras and also rejected allogeneic skin grafts.


CONCLUSIONS
Collectively the data indicated that T and B lymphocytes derived from UCBC-HSC are fully competent in immunological terms.
Oikawa
Atsuhiko
A
Department of Immunology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
Ito
Koichi
K
Seguchi
Hirotoshi
H
Okabe
Motohito
M
Migishima
Fujio
F
Eshima
Koji
K
Azuma
Sadahiro
S
Song
Si-Young
SY
Kaneko
Takehisa
T
Shinohara
Nobukata
N
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002678:Chimera; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000172:deficiency; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D018183:Transplantation Chimera / Q000276:immunology; D014185:Transplantation, Isogeneic
D000941:Antigens; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; C499308:Rag2 protein, mouse