DEVELOPMENT OF IMMATURE THYMOCYTES - INITIATION OF CD3, CD4, AND CD8 ACQUISITION PARALLELS DOWN-REGULATION OF THE INTERLEUKIN-2 RECEPTOR ALPHA-CHAIN
- Author(s)
- PETRIE, HT; Pearse, M; Scollay, R; Shortman, K;
- Details
- Publication Year 1990-12,Volume 20,Issue #12,Page 2813-2815
- Journal Title
- EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
- Publication Type
- Journal Article
- Abstract
- We have previously identified a developmental sequence among immature thymocytes, prior to their expression of the lineage markers CD3, CD4, and CD8. This sequence is marked by transient expression of the interleukin 2 receptor alpha chain (IL 2R-alpha). The most mature cells in this sequence (surface phenotype heat-stable antigen (HSA)++ Pgp-1- IL 2R-alpha-) are the immediate precursors to CD4+CD8+ small cortical thymocytes, and have by definition been considered to be CD4-CD8-. We now show that these cells display low levels of surface CD4 and CD8, but not CD3. This low-level expression begins to appear immediately after the loss of IL 2R-alpha expression. Northern blot analysis for mRNA expression confirms that these IL 2R-alpha- cells are transcribing CD4 and CD8 mRNA, in contrast to their immediate (IL 2R-alpha+) precursor. Upon unstimulated culture, these IL 2R-alpha- cells gradually acquire high levels of CD4 and CD8, as well as low levels of CD3, whereas IL 2R-alpha+ cells do not. These findings suggest that the IL 2R-alpha+ subset is the end of the true CD3-CD4-CD8-phase, and that the intracellular signals for CD3, CD4, and CD8 acquisition occur simultaneously with, or immediately prior to, the signal for down-regulation of IL 2R-alpha.
- Publisher
- VCH PUBLISHERS INC
- Keywords
- DIFFERENTIATION; EXPRESSION; SEQUENCE; ANTIGEN
- Publisher's Version
- https://doi.org/10.1002/eji.1830201243
- Terms of Use/Rights Notice
- Refer to copyright notice on published article.
Creation Date: 1990-12-01 12:00:00