1
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Ceredig R, Rolink AG. The key role of IL-7 in lymphopoiesis. Semin Immunol 2012; 24:159-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2012.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2011] [Accepted: 02/15/2012] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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2
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Hayes SM, Laird RM, Love PE. Beyond alphabeta/gammadelta lineage commitment: TCR signal strength regulates gammadelta T cell maturation and effector fate. Semin Immunol 2010; 22:247-51. [PMID: 20452783 PMCID: PMC3129014 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2010.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2010] [Revised: 04/02/2010] [Accepted: 04/14/2010] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Signaling by the gammadelta T cell receptor (TCR) is required not only for alphabeta/gammadelta lineage commitment but also to activate and elicit effector functions in mature gammadelta T cells. Notably, at both of these stages, the signal delivered by the gammadeltaTCR is more robust than the one delivered by either the preTCR or the alphabetaTCR. Recent studies now provide evidence that signaling by the gammadeltaTCR is also required at other stages during gammadelta T cell development. Remarkably, the strength of the gammadeltaTCR signal also plays a role at these other stages, as evidenced by the findings that genetic manipulation of gammadeltaTCR signal strength affects gammadelta T cell maturation and effector fate. In this review, we discuss how a strong TCR signal is a recurring theme in gammadelta T cell development and activation.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cell Differentiation
- Cell Lineage
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/metabolism
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- T-Lymphocytes/cytology
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M Hayes
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA.
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3
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Dudley DD, Chaudhuri J, Bassing CH, Alt FW. Mechanism and control of V(D)J recombination versus class switch recombination: similarities and differences. Adv Immunol 2006; 86:43-112. [PMID: 15705419 DOI: 10.1016/s0065-2776(04)86002-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 214] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
V(D)J recombination is the process by which the variable region exons encoding the antigen recognition sites of receptors expressed on B and T lymphocytes are generated during early development via somatic assembly of component gene segments. In response to antigen, somatic hypermutation (SHM) and class switch recombination (CSR) induce further modifications of immunoglobulin genes in B cells. CSR changes the IgH constant region for an alternate set that confers distinct antibody effector functions. SHM introduces mutations, at a high rate, into variable region exons, ultimately allowing affinity maturation. All of these genomic alteration processes require tight regulatory control mechanisms, both to ensure development of a normal immune system and to prevent potentially oncogenic processes, such as translocations, caused by errors in the recombination/mutation processes. In this regard, transcription of substrate sequences plays a significant role in target specificity, and transcription is mechanistically coupled to CSR and SHM. However, there are many mechanistic differences in these reactions. V(D)J recombination proceeds via precise DNA cleavage initiated by the RAG proteins at short conserved signal sequences, whereas CSR and SHM are initiated over large target regions via activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID)-mediated DNA deamination of transcribed target DNA. Yet, new evidence suggests that AID cofactors may help provide an additional layer of specificity for both SHM and CSR. Whereas repair of RAG-induced double-strand breaks (DSBs) involves the general nonhomologous end-joining DNA repair pathway, and CSR also depends on at least some of these factors, CSR requires induction of certain general DSB response factors, whereas V(D)J recombination does not. In this review, we compare and contrast V(D)J recombination and CSR, with particular emphasis on the role of the initiating enzymes and DNA repair proteins in these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darryll D Dudley
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Children's Hospital Boston, CBR Institute for Biomedical Research, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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4
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Pennington DJ, Silva-Santos B, Hayday AC. Gammadelta T cell development--having the strength to get there. Curr Opin Immunol 2005; 17:108-15. [PMID: 15766668 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2005.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Gammadelta T cells play critical roles in immune regulation, tumour surveillance and specific primary immune responses. Mature gammadelta cells derive from thymic precursors that also generate alphabeta T cells. Recent reports have highlighted the impact of the strength of signal received via the T cell receptor on T cell lineage commitment, and the importance of cross-talk between committed alphabeta thymocytes and bipotential progenitors for normal gammadelta T cell differentiation. Studies on T cell receptor-mediated selection of gammadelta cells have supported the view that these unconventional T cells are positively rather than negatively selected on cognate self antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Pennington
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, Guy's King's St. Thomas' Medical School, King's College, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK.
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5
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Haks MC, Lefebvre JM, Lauritsen JPH, Carleton M, Rhodes M, Miyazaki T, Kappes DJ, Wiest DL. Attenuation of gammadeltaTCR signaling efficiently diverts thymocytes to the alphabeta lineage. Immunity 2005; 22:595-606. [PMID: 15894277 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2005.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2004] [Revised: 04/04/2005] [Accepted: 04/05/2005] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The role of the T cell antigen receptor complex (TCR) in alphabeta/gammadelta lineage commitment remains controversial, in particular whether different TCR isoforms intrinsically favor adoption of a certain lineage. Here, we demonstrate that impairing the signaling capacity of a gammadeltaTCR complex enables it to efficiently direct thymocytes to the alphabeta lineage. In the presence of a ligand, a transgenic gammadeltaTCR mediates almost exclusive adoption of the gammadelta lineage, while in the absence of ligand, the same gammadeltaTCR promotes alphabeta lineage development with efficiency comparable to the pre-TCR. Importantly, attenuating gammadeltaTCR signaling through Lck deficiency causes reduced ERK1/2 activation and Egr expression and diverts thymocytes to the alphabeta lineage even in the presence of ligand. Conversely, ectopic Egr overexpression favors gammadelta T cell development. Our data support a model whereby gammadelta versus alphabeta lineage commitment is controlled by TCR signal strength, which depends critically on the ERK MAPK-Egr pathway.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cell Differentiation
- DNA-Binding Proteins/biosynthesis
- DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
- Early Growth Response Protein 1
- Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases/metabolism
- Immediate-Early Proteins/biosynthesis
- Immediate-Early Proteins/genetics
- Inhibitor of Differentiation Proteins
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Mice, Transgenic
- Phosphorylation
- Proteins/genetics
- Proteins/metabolism
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/metabolism
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/cytology
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/immunology
- Transcription Factors/biosynthesis
- Transcription Factors/genetics
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariëlle C Haks
- Division of Basic Sciences, Immunobiology Working Group, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
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6
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Hayes SM, Li L, Love PE. TCR Signal Strength Influences αβ/γδ Lineage Fate. Immunity 2005; 22:583-93. [PMID: 15894276 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2005.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 211] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2004] [Revised: 03/16/2005] [Accepted: 03/28/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Signals transduced by T cell antigen receptors (TCRs) have been shown to be critical for alphabeta and gammadelta T cell development, but their role in lineage determination remains poorly defined. Two models have been forwarded for alphabeta/gammadelta lineage choice: the instructive model and the stochastic model. Recent data, however, are inconsistent with either model. In this study, we devised an experimental system in which lineage fate was controlled exclusively by the gammadeltaTCR. We then analyzed the impact of TCR signal strength on alphabeta/gammadelta lineage development by altering the surface expression or signaling potential of the gammadeltaTCR complex. We found that increasing the gammadeltaTCR signal strength favored gammadelta lineage development, whereas weakening the gammadeltaTCR signal favored alphabeta lineage development. These results support a model in which the strength of the TCR signal is a critical determinant in the lineage fate decision.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- Cell Differentiation/immunology
- DNA, Complementary/genetics
- Humans
- In Vitro Techniques
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Mice, Transgenic
- Models, Immunological
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/deficiency
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/metabolism
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/deficiency
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/metabolism
- Recombinant Proteins/genetics
- Recombinant Proteins/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/cytology
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M Hayes
- Laboratory of Mammalian Genes and Development, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development/NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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7
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Abstract
T cell development is guided by a complex set of transcription factors that act recursively, in different combinations, at each of the developmental choice points from T-lineage specification to peripheral T cell specialization. This review describes the modes of action of the major T-lineage-defining transcription factors and the signal pathways that activate them during intrathymic differentiation from pluripotent precursors. Roles of Notch and its effector RBPSuh (CSL), GATA-3, E2A/HEB and Id proteins, c-Myb, TCF-1, and members of the Runx, Ets, and Ikaros families are critical. Less known transcription factors that are newly recognized as being required for T cell development at particular checkpoints are also described. The transcriptional regulation of T cell development is contrasted with that of B cell development, in terms of their different degrees of overlap with the stem-cell program and the different roles of key transcription factors in gene regulatory networks leading to lineage commitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen V Rothenberg
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
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8
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Gerber D, Boucontet L, Pereira P. Early Expression of a Functional TCRβ Chain Inhibits TCRγ Gene Rearrangements without Altering the Frequency of TCRγδ Lineage Cells. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2004; 173:2516-23. [PMID: 15294967 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.173.4.2516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
To investigate the consequences of the simultaneous expression in progenitor cells of a TCRgammadelta and a pre-TCR on alphabeta/gammadelta lineage commitment, we have forced expression of functionally rearranged TCRbeta, TCRgamma, and TCRdelta chains by means of transgenes. Mice transgenic for the three TCR chains contain numbers of gammadelta thymocytes comparable to those of mice transgenic for both TCRgamma and TCRdelta chains, and numbers of alphabeta thymocytes similar to those found in mice solely transgenic for a rearranged TCRbeta chain gene. gammadelta T cells from the triple transgenic mice express the transgenic TCRbeta chain, but do not express a TCRalpha chain, and, by a number of phenotypic and molecular parameters, appear to be bona fide gammadelta thymocytes. Our results reveal a remarkable degree of independence in the generation of alphabeta and gammadelta lineage cells from progenitor cells that, in theory, could simultaneously express a TCRgammadelta and a pre-TCR.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cell Lineage/immunology
- Flow Cytometry
- Gene Rearrangement, gamma-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor/immunology
- Genes, T-Cell Receptor gamma/immunology
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells/immunology
- Lymphopoiesis/immunology
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/biosynthesis
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/immunology
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- T-Lymphocytes/cytology
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- David Gerber
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Institute of Physical and Chemical Research/Neuroscience Research Center, The Picower Center for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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9
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Evans CJ, Hartenstein V, Banerjee U. Thicker than blood: conserved mechanisms in Drosophila and vertebrate hematopoiesis. Dev Cell 2003; 5:673-90. [PMID: 14602069 DOI: 10.1016/s1534-5807(03)00335-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 293] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Blood development in Drosophila melanogaster shares several interesting features with hematopoiesis in vertebrates, including spatiotemporal regulation as well as the use of similar transcriptional regulators and signaling pathways. In this review, we describe what is known about hematopoietic development in Drosophila and the various cell types generated and their functions. Additionally, the molecular genetic mechanisms of hematopoietic cell fate determination and commitment within Drosophila blood cell lineages are discussed and compared to vertebrate mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory J Evans
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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10
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Abstract
Notch signaling regulates many cell fate decisions during development of multi-cellular organisms. Signals initiated by Notch influence a wide variety of processes that include lineage specification, cell survival and proliferation, and border formation. During development of the immune system, Notch has been shown to influence the fate of both hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and committed progenitors. Notch appears to play an especially important role in the development of cells that mediate acquired immunity where Notch influences multiple aspects of T and B cell development. In this review, we will focus on the potential functions of Notch signaling during lymphoid development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warren S Pear
- Department of Pathology, Institute for Medicine and Engineering, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, 611 BRB II/III, 421 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3111, USA.
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11
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Falk I, Eichmann K. Heterogeneity of the DN4 (CD44-CD25-) subset of CD4-CD8- double negative thymocytes; dependence on CD3 signaling. Immunol Lett 2002; 82:123-30. [PMID: 12008043 DOI: 10.1016/s0165-2478(02)00027-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that apoptotic cell death associated with selection for thymocytes that express clonotypic TCRbeta or TCRgammadelta proteins takes place in the DN4 (CD44-CD25-) subset of CD4-CD8- double negative (DN) thymocytes. A detailed analysis of the DN4 subset is therefore of interest. Using intracellular (IC) staining for clonotypic TCR and CD3varepsilon proteins we find that DN4 cells consist of five subpopulations: TCRbetaIC(high)/CD3varepsilonIC(high)/TCRgammadeltaIC-, TCRbetaI-C-/CD3varepsilonIC(high)/TCRgammadeltaIC(+), TCRbetaIC(high)/CD3varepsilonIC(high)/TCRgammadeltaIC(+), TCRbetaIC(low)/CD3varepsilonIC(low)/TCRgammadeltaIC(-), and TCRbetaIC(-)/CD3varepsilonIC(-)/TCRgammadeltaIC(-). Expression levels of IC TCRbeta/CD3varepsilon, and of Thy1.2, CD2, and CD69 at the cell surface suggest that the TCRbetaIC(low)/CD3varepsilonIC(low)/TCRgammadeltaIC(-) subset harbors the direct precursors of DP cells, and is critical for life/death decisions in early thymic selection. TCRbeta/CD3varepsilon downregulation is less pronounced in DN4 and DP cells of mice deficient for CD3zeta or for p56(lck), suggesting that the dynamics of TCR protein regulation in the DN4 subset is dependent on CD3 signaling.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, CD/analysis
- Antigens, CD/metabolism
- Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/analysis
- Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/metabolism
- CD3 Complex/physiology
- CD4 Antigens/analysis
- CD8 Antigens/analysis
- Hyaluronan Receptors/analysis
- Lectins, C-Type
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/metabolism
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/metabolism
- Receptors, Interleukin-2/analysis
- Signal Transduction
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/classification
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/immunology
- Thymus Gland/cytology
- Thymus Gland/growth & development
- Thymus Gland/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Falk
- Max-Planck-Institut für Immunbiologie, Freiburg, Germany
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12
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Zipori D, Barda‐Saad M. Role of activin A in negative regulation of normal and tumor B lymphocytes. J Leukoc Biol 2001. [DOI: 10.1189/jlb.69.6.867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dov Zipori
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Mira Barda‐Saad
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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13
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MacDonald HR, Radtke F, Wilson A. T cell fate specification and alphabeta/gammadelta lineage commitment. Curr Opin Immunol 2001; 13:219-24. [PMID: 11228416 DOI: 10.1016/s0952-7915(00)00207-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The development of T cells from pluripotent stem cells involves a coordinated series of lineage-commitment steps. Common lymphoid precursors in the fetal liver or adult bone marrow must first choose between a T, B or NK cell fate. Committed T cell precursors in the thymus then differentiate into cells committed to the alphabeta or gammadelta lineages. Recent advances have been made in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying T cell fate specification and alphabeta/gammadelta lineage divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- H R MacDonald
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, University of Lausanne, CH-1066, Epalinges, Switzerland.
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14
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Mancini S, Candéias SM, Fehling HJ, von Boehmer H, Jouvin-Marche E, Marche PN. TCR α-Chain Repertoire in pTα-Deficient Mice Is Diverse and Developmentally Regulated: Implications for Pre-TCR Functions and TCRA Gene Rearrangement. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 1999. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.163.11.6053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Pre-TCR expression on developing thymocytes allows cells with productive TCRB gene rearrangements to further differentiate. In wild-type mice, most TCRA gene rearrangements are initiated after pre-TCR expression. However, in pTα-deficient mice, a substantial number of αβ+ thymocytes are still produced, in part because early TCR α-chain expression can rescue immature thymocytes from cell death. In this study, the nature of these TCR α-chains, produced and expressed in the absence of pre-TCR expression, have been analyzed. We show, by FACS analysis and sequencing of rearranged transcripts, that the TCRA repertoire is diverse in pTα−/− mice and that the developmental regulation of AJ segment use is maintained, yet slightly delayed around birth when compared with wild-type mice. We also found that T cell differentiation is more affected by pTα inactivation during late gestation than later in life. These data suggest that the pre-TCR is not functionally required for the initiation and regulation of TCRA gene rearrangement and that fetal thymocytes are more dependent than adult cells on pTα-derived signals for their differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Mancini
- *Laboratoire d’Immunochimie, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique-Grenoble, Département de Biologie Moléculaire et Structurale, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unit 238, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France
| | - Serge M. Candéias
- *Laboratoire d’Immunochimie, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique-Grenoble, Département de Biologie Moléculaire et Structurale, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unit 238, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Harald von Boehmer
- ‡Institut Necker, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unit 373, Paris, France
| | - Evelyne Jouvin-Marche
- *Laboratoire d’Immunochimie, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique-Grenoble, Département de Biologie Moléculaire et Structurale, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unit 238, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France
| | - Patrice N. Marche
- *Laboratoire d’Immunochimie, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique-Grenoble, Département de Biologie Moléculaire et Structurale, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unit 238, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France
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15
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Wilson A, Capone M, MacDonald HR. Unexpectedly late expression of intracellular CD3epsilon and TCR gammadelta proteins during adult thymus development. Int Immunol 1999; 11:1641-50. [PMID: 10508182 DOI: 10.1093/intimm/11.10.1641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
During adult thymus development immature CD4(-)CD8(-) [double-negative (DN)] precursor cells pass through four phenotypically distinct stages defined by expression of CD44 and CD25: CD44(hi)CD25(-) (DN1), CD44(hi)CD25(+) (DN2), CD44(lo)CD25(+) (DN3) and CD44(lo)CD25(-) (DN4). Although it is well established that the TCR beta, gamma and delta genes are rearranged and expressed in association with the CD3 components in DN thymocytes, the precise timing of expression of the TCR and CD3 proteins has not been determined. In this report we have utilized a sensitive intracellular (ic) staining technique to analyze the expression of ic CD3epsilon, TCR beta and TCR gammadelta proteins in immature DN subsets. As expected from previous studies of TCR beta rearrangement and mRNA expression, icTCR beta(+) cells were first detected in the DN3 subset and their proportion increased thereafter. Surprisingly, however, both icCD3epsilon(+) and icTCR gammadelta(+) cells were detected at later stages of development than was predicted by molecular studies. In particular icCD3epsilon protein expression coincided with the transition from the DN2 to DN3 stage of development, whereas icTCR gammadelta protein expression was only detected in a minor subset of DN4 cells. The implications of these findings for alphabeta lineage divergence will be discussed.
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MESH Headings
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Biomarkers
- CD3 Complex
- Cell Differentiation
- Female
- Flow Cytometry
- Hyaluronan Receptors/metabolism
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/metabolism
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/deficiency
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/metabolism
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/deficiency
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/metabolism
- Receptors, Interleukin-2/metabolism
- T-Lymphocytes/cytology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Thymus Gland/growth & development
- Thymus Gland/metabolism
- Time Factors
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Affiliation(s)
- A Wilson
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, University of Lausanne,Ch. Des Boveresses 155, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
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