Extrathymic maturation of alpha beta T cells from hemopoietic stem cells

J Immunol. 1995 Oct 1;155(7):3338-44.

Abstract

The object of the study was to determine whether alpha beta T cells can develop from hemopoietic stem cells in the absence of the thymus. C57BL/6 (Ly-5.1 and Thy-1.2) mice were thymectomized or sham-thymectomized at 4 wk of age, and received lethal whole body irradiation 2 wk later. These mice were reconstituted with an i.v. injection of 500 highly purified hemopoietic stem cells (Mac-1-, B220-, TER-119-, CD3-, CD4-, CD8-, Thy 1low, SCA-1+) obtained from the bone marrow of C57BL/6 (Ly-5.2 and Thy-1.1) donors. A similar percentage of Ly-5.2+ alpha beta T cells (donor) was found in the marrow of thymectomized recipients, sham-thymectomized recipients, and normal donor mice at least 3 mo after stem cell transplantation. The percentage of Ly-5.2+ alpha beta T cells in the spleens of sham-thymectomized and normal donor mice was similar. The percentage in the spleens of thymectomized recipients was reduced by about 50%, and approximately one-half of the latter T cells expressed the CD4-CD8- alpha beta+ phenotype. A purified population of Ly-5.2+ alpha beta- cells obtained from the marrow of thymectomized recipients was incubated in vitro for 48 h without exogenous growth factors. After the incubation procedure a proportion of the marrow cells acquired alpha beta TCR surface receptors. The results show that alpha beta T cells can develop from hemopoietic stem cells in the absence of the thymus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • Thymectomy
  • Thymus Gland / immunology*
  • Whole-Body Irradiation

Substances

  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta