1
|
Fehling HJ, Gilfillan S, Ceredig R. αβ/γδ Lineage Commitment in the Thymus of Normal and Genetically Manipulated Mice. Adv Immunol 1998. [DOI: 10.1016/s0065-2776(08)60399-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
|
2
|
Janowski KM, Ledbetter S, Mayo MS, Hockett RD. Identification of a DNA segment exhibiting rearrangement modifying effects upon transgenic delta-deleting elements. J Exp Med 1997; 186:91-100. [PMID: 9207011 PMCID: PMC2198968 DOI: 10.1084/jem.186.1.91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Control of the rearrangement and expression of the T cell receptor alpha and delta chains is critical for determining T cell type. The process of delta deletion is a candidate mechanism for maintaining separation of the alpha and delta loci. Mice harboring a transgenic reporter delta deletion construct show alpha/beta T cell lineage-specific use of the transgenic elements. A 48-basepair segment of DNA, termed HPS1A, when deleted from this reporter construct, loses tight lineage-specific rearrangement control of transgenic elements, with abundant rearrangements of transgenic delta-deleting elements now in gamma/delta T cells. Furthermore, HPS1A augments recombination frequency of extrachromosomal substrates in an in vitro recombination assay. DNA binding proteins recognizing HPS1A have been identified and are restricted to early B and T cells, during the time of active rearrangement of endogenous TCR and immunoglobulin loci. These data are consistent with delta deletion playing an important role in maintaining separate TCR alpha and delta loci.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- DNA/genetics
- Gene Deletion
- Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/immunology
- Sequence Analysis, DNA
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K M Janowski
- Department of Pathology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35233-7331, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Abstract
V(D)J recombination is responsible for the de novo creation of antigen receptor genes in T- and B-cell precursors. To the extent that lymphopoiesis takes place throughout an animal's lifetime, recombination errors present an ongoing problem. One type of aberrant rearrangement ensues when DNA sequences resembling a V(D)J joining signal are targeted by mistake. This study investigates the type of sequence likely to be subject to mistargeting, the level of joining-signal function associated with these sequences, and the number of such cryptic joining signals in the genome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S M Lewis
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125, USA.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wilson A, de Villartay JP, MacDonald HR. T cell receptor delta gene rearrangement and T early alpha (TEA) expression in immature alpha beta lineage thymocytes: implications for alpha beta/gamma delta lineage commitment. Immunity 1996; 4:37-45. [PMID: 8574850 DOI: 10.1016/s1074-7613(00)80296-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Mature T cells comprise two mutually exclusive lineages expressing heterodimeric alpha beta or gamma delta antigen receptors. During development, beta, gamma, and delta genes rearrange before alpha, and mature gamma delta cells arise in the thymus prior to alpha beta cells. The mechanism underlying commitment of immature T cells to the alpha beta or gamma delta lineage is controversial. Since the delta locus is located within the alpha locus, rearrangement of alpha genes leads to deletion of delta. We have examined the rearrangement status of the delta locus immediately prior to alpha rearrangement. We find that many thymic precursors of alpha beta cells undergo VDJ delta rearrangements. Furthermore, the same cells frequently coexpress sterile T early alpha (TEA) transcripts originating 3' of C delta and 5' of the most upstream J alpha, thus implying that individual alpha beta lineage cells undergo sequential VDJ delta and VJ alpha rearrangements. Finally, VDJ delta rearrangements in immature alpha beta cells appear to be random, supporting models in which alpha beta lineage commitment is determined independently of the rearrangement status at the TCR delta locus.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- Carrier Proteins/biosynthesis
- Carrier Proteins/genetics
- Carrier Proteins/immunology
- Cell Differentiation/genetics
- Female
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Gene Rearrangement, delta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor
- Membrane Proteins/biosynthesis
- Membrane Proteins/genetics
- Membrane Proteins/immunology
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Wilson
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Shutter J, Cain JA, Ledbetter S, Rogers MD, Hockett RD. A delta T-cell receptor deleting element transgenic reporter construct is rearranged in alpha beta but not gamma delta T-cell lineages. Mol Cell Biol 1995; 15:7022-31. [PMID: 8524269 PMCID: PMC230957 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.15.12.7022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
T cells can be divided into two groups on the basis of the expression of either alpha beta or gamma delta T-cell receptors (TCRs). Because the TCR delta chain locus lies within the larger TCR alpha chain locus, control of the utilization of these two receptors is important in T-cell development, specifically for determination of T-cell type: rearrangement of the alpha locus results in deletion of the delta coding segments and commitment to the alpha beta lineage. In the developing thymus, a relative site-specific recombination occurs by which the TCR delta chain gene segments are deleted. This deletion removes all D delta, J delta, and C delta genes and occurs on both alleles. This delta deletional mechanism is evolutionarily conserved between mice and humans. Transgenic mice which contain the human delta deleting elements and as much internal TCR delta chain coding sequence as possible without allowing the formation of a complete delta chain gene were developed. Several transgenic lines showing recombinations between deleting elements within the transgene were developed. These lines demonstrate that utilization of the delta deleting elements occurs in alpha beta T cells of the spleen and thymus. These recombinations are rare in the gamma delta population, indicating that the machinery for utilization of delta deleting elements is functional in alpha beta T cells but absent in gamma delta T cells. Furthermore, a discrete population of early thymocytes containing delta deleting element recombinations but not V alpha-to-J alpha rearrangements has been identified. These data are consistent with a model in which delta deletion contributes to the implementation of a signal by which the TCR alpha chain locus is rearranged and expressed and thus becomes an alpha beta T cell.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- DNA Primers
- Flow Cytometry
- Gene Deletion
- Gene Rearrangement, delta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor
- Humans
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C3H
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Inbred CBA
- Mice, Transgenic
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/biosynthesis
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/biosynthesis
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/genetics
- Spleen/immunology
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- Thymus Gland/immunology
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Shutter
- Department of Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lewis SM. The mechanism of V(D)J joining: lessons from molecular, immunological, and comparative analyses. Adv Immunol 1994; 56:27-150. [PMID: 8073949 DOI: 10.1016/s0065-2776(08)60450-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 482] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- S M Lewis
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Brändle D, Müller C, Rülicke T, Hengartner H, Pircher H. Engagement of the T-cell receptor during positive selection in the thymus down-regulates RAG-1 expression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1992; 89:9529-33. [PMID: 1329099 PMCID: PMC50165 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.89.20.9529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We have examined the expression of the recombination activating gene RAG-1 by in situ hybridization to thymi from mice bearing transgenes for the T-cell receptor (TCR) alpha chain, TCR beta chain, or both TCR alpha and beta chains. RAG-1 transcription was found in the thymic cortex of transgenic mice carrying a single TCR alpha- or TCR beta-chain transgene, comparable to normal mice. However, RAG-1 transcription was strikingly reduced in the thymic cortex from transgenic mice carrying both TCR alpha- and beta-chain genes and expressing major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I (H-2b) molecules necessary for positive selection of the transgenic TCR. In contrast, thymi of transgenic mice also carrying both TCR alpha- and beta-chain genes but expressing MHC molecules (H-2d) that did not positively select the transgenic TCR displayed high levels of RAG-1 transcription. The low thymic RAG-1 expression coincided with high transgenic TCR alpha-chain surface expression and with inhibition of endogenous TCR alpha-chain rearrangement. Our findings suggest that binding of the TCR to self MHC molecules during positive selection down-regulates RAG-1 transcription in cortical thymocytes and thereby prevents further TCR alpha-chain rearrangements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D Brändle
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
The work reviewed in this article separates T cell development into four phases. First is an expansion phase prior to TCR rearrangement, which appears to be correlated with programming of at least some response genes for inducibility. This phase can occur to some extent outside of the thymus. However, the profound T cell deficit of nude mice indicates that the thymus is by far the most potent site for inducing the expansion per se, even if other sites can induce some response acquisition. Second is a controlled phase of TCR gene rearrangement. The details of the regulatory mechanism that selects particular loci for rearrangement are still not known. It seems that the rearrangement of the TCR gamma loci in the gamma delta lineage may not always take place at a developmental stage strictly equivalent to the rearrangement of TCR beta in the alpha beta lineage, and it is not clear just how early the two lineages diverge. In the TCR alpha beta lineage, however, the final gene rearrangement events are accompanied by rapid proliferation and an interruption in cellular response gene inducibility. The loss of conventional responsiveness is probably caused by alterations at the level of signaling, and may be a manifestation of the physiological state that is a precondition for selection. Third is the complex process of selection. Whereas peripheral T cells can undergo forms of positive selection (by antigen-driven clonal expansion) and negative selection (by abortive stimulation leading to anergy or death), neither is exactly the same phenomenon that occurs in the thymic cortex. Negative selection in the cortex appears to be a suicidal inversion of antigen responsiveness: instead of turning on IL-2 expression, the activated cell destroys its own chromatin. The genes that need to be induced for this response are not yet identified, but it is unquestionably a form of activation. It is interesting that in humans and rats, cortical thymocytes undergoing negative selection can still induce IL-2R alpha expression and even be rescued in vitro, if exogenous IL-2 is provided. Perhaps murine thymocytes are denied this form of rescue because they shut off IL-2R beta chain expression at an earlier stage or because they may be uncommonly Bcl-2 deficient (cf. Sentman et al., 1991; Strasser et al., 1991). Even so, medullary thymocytes remain at least partially susceptible to negative selection even as they continue to mature.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, CD/genetics
- Antigens, CD/immunology
- Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/genetics
- Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/immunology
- CD3 Complex
- Cell Death
- Cell Differentiation
- Cell Division
- Cell Movement
- Chick Embryo
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells/cytology
- Humans
- Immune Tolerance
- Immunity, Cellular
- Interleukin-2/biosynthesis
- Interleukin-2/genetics
- Lymphocyte Activation
- Lymphokines/biosynthesis
- Lymphokines/physiology
- Mice
- Mice, Nude/immunology
- Mice, SCID/genetics
- Mice, SCID/immunology
- Models, Biological
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins/physiology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/immunology
- Signal Transduction
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/cytology
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/immunology
- Thymus Gland/cytology
- Thymus Gland/growth & development
- Transcription Factors/physiology
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E V Rothenberg
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Casanova JL, Romero P, Widmann C, Kourilsky P, Maryanski JL. T cell receptor genes in a series of class I major histocompatibility complex-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte clones specific for a Plasmodium berghei nonapeptide: implications for T cell allelic exclusion and antigen-specific repertoire. J Exp Med 1991; 174:1371-83. [PMID: 1836010 PMCID: PMC2119045 DOI: 10.1084/jem.174.6.1371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 244] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We report here the first extensive study of a T cell repertoire for a class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response. We have found that the T cell receptors (TCRs) carried by 28 H-2Kd-restricted CTL clones specific for a single Plasmodium berghei circumsporozoite nonapeptide are highly diverse in terms of V alpha, J alpha, and J beta segments and aminoacid composition of the junctional regions. However, despite this extensive diversity, a high proportion of the TCRs contain the same V beta segment. These results are in contrast to most previously reported T cell responses towards class II MHC-peptide complexes, where the TCR repertoires appeared to be much more limited. In our study, the finding of a dominant V beta in the midst of otherwise highly diverse TCRs suggests the importance of the V beta segment in shaping the T cell repertoire specific for a given MHC-peptide complex. As an additional finding, we observed that nearly all clones have rearranged both TCR alpha loci. Moreover, as many as one-third of the CTL clones that we analyzed apparently display two productive alpha rearrangements. This argues against a regulated model of sequential recombination at the alpha locus and consequently raises the question of whether allelic exclusion of the TCR alpha chain is achieved at all.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Alleles
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- Clone Cells
- Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte
- H-2 Antigens/immunology
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Plasmodium berghei/immunology
- Protozoan Proteins/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/chemistry
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/genetics
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/immunology
- Transcription, Genetic
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J L Casanova
- Biologie Moléculaire du Gène, INSERM U277, Institut Pasteur, Paris
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Abstract
During the past year, there have been rapid advances in our understanding of the early events of T-cell development, at the molecular level. Studies at the transcriptional level of T-cell receptor gene regulation have started to yield important clues about how different T-cell-specific genes can share the same transcription factors and how alpha beta and gamma delta T cells are differentially regulated. In addition, studies using transgenic mice with the T-cell receptor gamma delta genes have further strengthened the separate lineage model of alpha beta and gamma delta T cells and brought into play the importance of negative cis-regulatory elements for lineage-specific determination.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- Enhancer Elements, Genetic/genetics
- Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte/genetics
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta
- T-Lymphocytes/cytology
- Transcription Factors/genetics
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Winoto
- University of California, Berkeley
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
de Villartay JP, Cohen DI. Gene regulation within the TCR-alpha/delta locus by specific deletion of the TCR-delta cluster. RESEARCH IN IMMUNOLOGY 1990; 141:618-23. [PMID: 2151349 DOI: 10.1016/0923-2494(90)90069-b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cell Differentiation
- Chromosome Deletion
- Chromosome Mapping
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte
- Humans
- Mice
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/biosynthesis
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta
- Transcription, Genetic
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J P de Villartay
- Laboratoire d'Immunologie et Rhumatologie pédiatrique, INSERM U132, Hôpital Necker Enfants Malades, Paris
| | | |
Collapse
|