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γδ and αβ T Cells are Equally Susceptible to Apoptosis
Author(s) -
ARSTILA T. P.,
TOIVANEN P.,
VAINIO O.,
LASSILA O.
Publication year - 1994
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.1365-3083.1994.tb03452.x
Subject(s) - apoptosis , dna fragmentation , biology , thymocyte , cd8 , microbiology and biotechnology , t cell , cytotoxic t cell , fragmentation (computing) , immunology , programmed cell death , in vitro , immune system , biochemistry , ecology
Little is known about the role of apoptosis in the regulation of γδ T cell development and function. We have used chicken as a model to study apoptosis of γδ T cells at different stages of their development. Apoptosis was measured with electrophoretic analysis of DNA fragmentation and flow cytometric determination of DNA content combined with immunofluorescence staining of cell surface molecules. In vitro culture, dexamethasone, and γ‐irradiation induced apoptosis of both γδ TCR thymocytes and peripheral γδ T cells. Apoptosis could be induced even in the earliest thymic γδ thymocytes on embryonic day 13. Resting peripheral blood γδ T cells were more resistant to apoptosis than thymocytes and spleen cells. Following polyclonal activation of splenic γδ T cells by Con A, the proportion of the CD8 + γδ T cell blasts decreased significantly when recultured without further stimulation. These results indicate that γδ T cells are susceptible to apoptosis in a manner similar o γδ T cells, and suggest that apoptosis plays an important role in the regulation of the development and function of both thymic and peripheral γδ T cells