Premium
Thymic epithelium induces neither clonal deletion nor anergy to Mls 1 a antigens
Author(s) -
Bandeira António,
Coutinho António,
BurlenDefranoux Odile,
Khazaal Ibrahim,
Coltey Monique,
Jacquemart Frederic,
Douarin Nicole Le,
Salaün Josselyne
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
european journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1521-4141
pISSN - 0014-2980
DOI - 10.1002/eji.1830220611
Subject(s) - biology , t cell receptor , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , t cell , antigen , in vitro , embryo , chimera (genetics) , in vivo , t lymphocyte , receptor , clonal deletion , immune system , genetics , gene
Abstract Grafting of thymic anlagen from day‐10 DBA/2 (H‐2 d ; Mls‐1 a ) embryos to newborn athymic BALB/c (H‐2 d ; Mls‐1 b ) mice leads to reconstitution of T cell populations in the recipients. Analysis of adult chimeras shows that their Vβ T cell receptor (TcR) repertoires, particularly V β 6 and V β 8.1, do not significantly differ in most animals (10 out of 13) from those scored in control chimeras that received syngeneic thymic anlagen. In all cases analyzed, such Mls‐1 a −reactive T cells could be stimulated at levels comparable to control responses, both in vitro and in vivo . The few cases in which Mls‐1 a reactive V β TcR were reduced seem to reflect the variability in TcR V β repertoires found inthis experimental system. In contrast, BALB/c mice, injected at birth with DBA/2spleencells show a marked, albeit variable, reduction in the frequencies of V β 6− and V β 8.1‐bearing CD4 + T cells, and lower frequencies of Mls‐1 a −reactive T cells in limiting dilution analyses. It appears, however, that V β 6− and V β 8.1‐bearing T cells remaining in these mice are functionally competent. We conclude that Mls‐1antigens are not expressed by thymic epithelium.