Role of the liver in T cell differentiation—generation of CD3 – CD4 + /CD8 + TCRβ – cells and CD3 – 4 – 8 – TCRβ + cells from CD4 – 8 – TCRβ – athymic nude bone marrow cells by culture with parenchymal liver cells

To investigate the influence of the liver on differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells/ pro‐T cells, TN‐NWP‐BMC (athymic nude bone marrow cells that were treated with anti‐TCRβ, anti‐CD4, and anti‐CD8 Abs plus complement and then passed through a nylon wool column) were cultured on parenchymal liver cells. After culture for 2.5 days, CD3 – 4 – 8 – TCRβ + cells and CD3 – CD4 + /CD8 + TCRβ – cells were developed from TN‐NWP‐BMC. TCRVβ8 + cells comprised 19.9% of CD3 – 4 – 8 – TCRβ + cells, and Vβ8 mRNA was detected in the CD3 – 4 – 8 – TCRβ + cells by reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction. The CD3 – CD4 + /CD8 + TCRβ – cells contained not only single‐positive cells but also CD4 + 8 + double‐positive cells. The CD8 protein consisted of 88.9% CD8α + β – , 10.1% CD8α + β + , and 1% CD8α – β + molecules. From these results and the finding of co‐expressed antigens, CD3 – 4 – 8 – TCRβ + cells and CD3 – CD4 + /CD8 + TCRβ – cells appear to be immature cells not committed to a certain cell lineage. J. Leukoc. Biol . 63: 575–583; 1998.