TY - JOUR
T1 - Thymus‐derived cytokine(s) including interleukin‐7 induce increase of T cell receptor α/β+ CD4−CD8− T cells which are extrathymically differentiated in athymic nude mice
AU - Kenai, Hiroyuki
AU - Matsuzaki, Goro
AU - Nakamura, Takao
AU - Yoshikai, Yasunobu
AU - Nomoto, Kikuo
PY - 1993/1/1
Y1 - 1993/1/1
N2 - Extrathymic T cell differentiation pathways have been reported, although the thymus is the main site of T cell differentiation. The thymus is also known to produce several cytokines that induce proliferation of thymocytes. In the present study, we investigated the influence of thymus‐derived cytokines on extrathymic T cell differentiation by intraperitoneal implantation with a diffusion chamber which encloses fetal thymus (we named it fetal thymus‐enclosed diffusion chamber, FTEDC) in athymic BALB/c nu/nu mice. Increase in number of T cells bearing T cell receptor (TcR) α/β was detected in lymph nodes and spleens of FTEDC‐implanted nude mice 1 week after implantation, whereas no such increase was detected in control nude mice implanted with a diffusion chamber without thymus. The FTEDC‐induced increase of T cells was suppressed by intraperitoneal injection of anti‐interleukin‐7 monoclonal antibody (mAb). The TcR α/β T cells in FTEDC‐inplanted BALB/c nu/nu mice preferentially expressed Vβ11, although Vβ11‐positive T cells are deleted in the thymus of euthymic BALB/c mice by clonal elimination of self‐superantigen Dvb 11‐specific T cells. TcR α/β T cells in FTEDC‐implanted nude mice were of CD4−CD8− phenotype and showed no proliferative response against anti‐TcR monoclonal antibody stimulation. These results suggest that the thymus can induce extrathymic T cell differentiation through the influence of thymus‐derived cytokine(s) including interleukin‐7, and that such extrathymically differentiated T cells have acquired only a little or no ability for proliferation when they recognize antigen by their TcR.
AB - Extrathymic T cell differentiation pathways have been reported, although the thymus is the main site of T cell differentiation. The thymus is also known to produce several cytokines that induce proliferation of thymocytes. In the present study, we investigated the influence of thymus‐derived cytokines on extrathymic T cell differentiation by intraperitoneal implantation with a diffusion chamber which encloses fetal thymus (we named it fetal thymus‐enclosed diffusion chamber, FTEDC) in athymic BALB/c nu/nu mice. Increase in number of T cells bearing T cell receptor (TcR) α/β was detected in lymph nodes and spleens of FTEDC‐implanted nude mice 1 week after implantation, whereas no such increase was detected in control nude mice implanted with a diffusion chamber without thymus. The FTEDC‐induced increase of T cells was suppressed by intraperitoneal injection of anti‐interleukin‐7 monoclonal antibody (mAb). The TcR α/β T cells in FTEDC‐inplanted BALB/c nu/nu mice preferentially expressed Vβ11, although Vβ11‐positive T cells are deleted in the thymus of euthymic BALB/c mice by clonal elimination of self‐superantigen Dvb 11‐specific T cells. TcR α/β T cells in FTEDC‐implanted nude mice were of CD4−CD8− phenotype and showed no proliferative response against anti‐TcR monoclonal antibody stimulation. These results suggest that the thymus can induce extrathymic T cell differentiation through the influence of thymus‐derived cytokine(s) including interleukin‐7, and that such extrathymically differentiated T cells have acquired only a little or no ability for proliferation when they recognize antigen by their TcR.
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U2 - 10.1002/eji.1830230813
DO - 10.1002/eji.1830230813
M3 - Article
C2 - 8344343
AN - SCOPUS:0027273047
VL - 23
SP - 1818
EP - 1825
JO - European Journal of Immunology
JF - European Journal of Immunology
SN - 0014-2980
IS - 8
ER -