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Recognition of Idiotypic Structures in the Thymus
Author(s) -
ZÖLLER M.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1989.tb01161.x
Subject(s) - antigen , biology , immunology , idiotype , major histocompatibility complex , spleen , avidity , antibody , t cell , ovalbumin , immune system , stimulation , monoclonal antibody , endocrinology
During the passage through the thymus. T cells are selected which recognize sell major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens with Sow avidity. Whether the T‐cell repertoire for recognition of altered self is also built up intrathymically or in the periphery, and whether it is determined exclusively by external antigens or is shaped by the internal environment is still a matter of debate. This question was addressed by analysing the responsiveness of thymocytes during post‐natal development towards a nominal antigen [trinitrophenyl (TNP)] and an anti‐TNP monoclonal antibody (Sp6), which carries a recurrent idiotype. During the first weeks of life, in vitro cultures of thymocytes proliferated strongly in the absence of nominal antigen. Proliferation rates were not increased by the addition of nominal antigen [TNP ovalbumin (OA)], but a significant increase was noted in the presence of Sp6, thymocytes recognizing the processed immunoglobulin. After in vivo stimulation with TNP conjugates, ‘antigen‐specific’ clones could also he detected in the thymus, the frequency of clones proliferating in response to Sp6 being further augmented. With increasing age, the proliferative capacity of thymocytes from unstimulated and antigenically stimulated mice decreased significantly. Responsiveness of spleen cells (SC) differed in some respects. The response towards Sp6 decreased with age, while antigen‐Specific clones were detected at increasing frequencies during post‐natal development. Furthermore, after antigenic stimulation, the frequency solely of antigen‐specific, but not of Sp6‐specinc clones was increased. Thus, it appears that the T‐cell repertoire is shaped already during the intrathymic passage, being influenced primarily by the B‐cell repertoire and modulated further by external antigen.