title: CD4(+) CD44(v.low) cells are unique peripheral precursors that are distinct from recent thymic emigrants and stem cell-like memory cells.
abstract: CD4(+) CD44(v.low) cells are peripheral precursor T cells that inhibit lymphopenia by generating a large CD4(+) T cell pool containing balanced numbers of naïve, memory, and regulatory Foxp3(+) cells with a diverse TCR repertoire. Recent thymic emigrants (RTE) and stem cell-like memory T cells (T(SCM)) can also replenish a T cell pool. In this study we formally test whether CD44(v.low) cells are the same population as RTE and T(SCM). Our data show that, in contrast to RTE, CD44(v.low) cells express high levels of CD45RB and low levels of CD24. Moreover, CD44(v.low) cells isolated from mice devoid of RTE retain their capacity to repopulate lymphopenic mice with naïve and memory cells and Foxp3(+) Tregs. In addition, CD44(v.low) cells do not express IL-2Rβ, Sca-1, and CXCR3, the phenotypic hallmarks of T(SCM). Overall, these data demonstrate that CD44(v.low) cells are neither RTE nor T(SCM).
authors.affiliation: Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, 3550 General Atomics Court, San Diego, CA 92121, U.S.A. Electronic address: azhao@biolegend.com.
authors.forename: Chunfang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, 3550 General Atomics Court, San Diego, CA 92121, U.S.A. Electronic address: imarrero@tpims.org.
authors.forename: Idania
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marrero
authors.affiliation: Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, 3550 General Atomics Court, San Diego, CA 92121, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Aditi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Narsale
authors.affiliation: Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, 3550 General Atomics Court, San Diego, CA 92121, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Rosita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moya
authors.affiliation: Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, 3550 General Atomics Court, San Diego, CA 92121, U.S.A. Electronic address: jdavies@sdbri.org.
authors.forename: Joanna D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D000950:Antigens, Ly / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D002465:Cell Movement; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015870:Gene Expression; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D053646:Interleukin-2 Receptor beta Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016513:Mice, SCID; D010641:Phenotype; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D060168:Thymocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000950:Antigens, Ly; D015415:Biomarkers; C476399:Cd44 protein, mouse; C515188:Cxcr3 protein, mouse; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C498833:Foxp3 protein, mouse; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; C508022:Il2rb protein, mouse; D053646:Interleukin-2 Receptor beta Subunit; C074650:Ly6a protein, mouse; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens
keywords: Cytokines; Immune homeostasis; Precursor cells; Recent thymic emigrants (RTE); Stem cell-like memory cells (T(SCM)); T cell subsets