IL-2–, IL-4–, and IL-7Rα–deficient mice develop thymic NTα/β T cells. (A) Dot plots of CD44highNKR-P1+, CD44highTCR-α/βmed, and CD44highTCR-β8.1,8.2med T cells among HSAlowCD8low thymocytes of B6.IL-20/0 (n = 5), B6.IL-40/0 (n = 6) and B6.IL-7Rα0/0 mice (n = 6). (B) Dot plots of Ly6ChighNKR-P1+ T cells among HSAlowCD8low thymocytes. (C) Dot plots of IL-2 Rβ+NKR-P1+ (B6.IL-40/0 and B6.IL-7Rα0/0) and of IL-2Rβ+TCR-α/β+ (B6.IL-20/0 and B6.IL-7Rα0/0) T cells among HSAlowCD8low thymocytes. In B and C, the percentage of NT cells was almost equal in B6.IL-40/0, about half in B6.IL-7Rα0/0, or up to twofold greater in B6.IL-20/0 compared with those in the wild type. (D) Absolute numbers of HSAlowCD8low thymocytes calculated as the thymocyte number times the fraction of this subset. (E) Thymic NT cells in wild-type, IL-20/0, IL-40/0 and IL-7Rα0/0 mice. NT cell number was calculated from the percentages of the double-positive CD44+ and NKR-P1+, TCR-α/β+ or Vβ8.1,8.2+ thymocytes within the electronically gated HSAlowCD8low population in D as described previously ().