CD4 SP Research Articles

Regulated by Sialylation

As thymocytes mature, their cell-surface proteins change both in terms of which proteins are present and in the structure of the proteins present. Moody et al. investigated how changes in glycosylation of the CD8 cell-surface glycoprotein of thymocytes influence its interaction with major histocompatibility complex class I (MHCI) molecules. Peptide MHCI tetramers (pMHCIs) were used in combination with fluorescent cell sorting (FACS) analysis to show that immature thymocytes that are positive for both CD8 and CD4 (another cell-surface receptor), so-called "DP" thymocytes, interact with the pMHCIs. Mature thymocytes that only express CD8 or CD4 (so-called "SP" thymocytes) did not interact with the pMHCIs, despite the fact that the DP and CD8 SP thymocytes express the same amount of CD8α and β subunits. Biochemical analysis of CD8α and β from DP and SP thymocytes showed that the transition to SP led to a decrease in molecular heterogeneity of the β subunit and marked reduction in the ability of the β subunit to be affinity-purified by the lectin peanut agglutinin (PNA). Treatment of SP thymocytes with neuraminidase to remove sialic acid from O -glycans restored PNA and pMHCI binding, suggesting that sialylation of the β subunit is responsible for the change in MHCI binding capacity of the SP thymocytes. Analysis of pMHCI binding to thymocytes from a mouse lacking the sialyltransferase ST3Gal-1 gene showed that the SP thymoctyes bound pMHCIs and maintained a high PNA-binding character throughout maturation. The change in glycosylation and the resulting effect on MHC binding appear to influence CD8 thymic selection in that in 4 of 14 animals tested, the lack of the ST3 Gal-1 gene resulted in a decrease in the number of CD8-positive SP thymocytes. A. M. Moody, D. Chui, P. A. Reche, J. J. Priatel, J. D. Marth, E. L. Reinherz, Developmentally regulated glycosylation of the CD8αβ coreceptor stalk modulates ligand binding. Cell 107 , 501-512 (2001). [Online Journal]

Interleukin-7 and infection itself by human immunodeficiency virus 1 favor virus persistence in mature CD4+CD8−CD3+ thymocytes through sustained induction of Bcl-2

The sequence of events and the mechanisms leading to the destruction of the thymus during human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are still poorly characterized. Investigated here are the survival capacity on HIV-1 infection of the mature single-positive CD4(+)CD8(-)CD3(+) (SP CD4(+)) and the intermediate CD4(+) CD8(-)CD3(-) thymocytes previously shown to be able to replicate the virus in the thymic microenvironment. It is demonstrated that the mature SP CD4(+) thymocytes exhibit a high survival capacity despite the production of a high yield of viruses. Interleukin-7, reported to be a crucial cofactor of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) to promote HIV replication, is shown here to counteract the apoptotic activity of TNF. Resistance to apoptosis of SP CD4(+) cells is conferred by a high expression of the IL-7 receptor (IL-7R) associated with the capacity of IL-7 to permanently up-regulate Bcl-2. In addition, this high Bcl-2 level is further enhanced by infection itself. In contrast, intermediate thymocytes, which replicate the virus at a lower level, are more sensitive to apoptosis, and their differentiation into double-positive CD4(+)CD8(+)CD3(-) (DP CD3(-)) cells strongly increases their death rate on infection. This sensitivity is related to a lower expression of IL-7R and Bcl-2 in intermediate thymocytes, which further decreases at the DP CD3(-) stage. In addition, a decreased level of Bcl-2 is observed in this subset during infection. Altogether these data suggest that in vivo, HIV infection might create a persistent virus reservoir within the SP CD4(+) thymocytes, whereas the later infection of intermediate cells might lead to thymopoiesis failure.

Precise arrangement of factor-binding sites is required for murine CD4 promoter function.

The control of CD4 expression is linked to the signaling events that mediate T-cell development and is directly dependent on the CD4 promoter. The CD4 promoter does not contain functionally redundant sites: all four factor-binding sites must be intact to achieve wild-type activity. Here we demonstrate that the precise position of three factor-binding sites relative to each other is essential for promoter activity, indicating that they function together as an inseparable cassette for assembly of the transcription initiation complex. Small changes in either phasing or distance between any two sites in this cassette leads to complete abrogation of promoter function. In addition, we demonstrate that one of the factors that bind the promoter cassette is not present in CD8 SP T(C) cells. Thus, this factor is a candidate for mediating the relative subclass specificity of CD4 promoter function in activated CD4 SP T(H) cells.

Notch1 Signaling Promotes the Maturation of CD4 and CD8 SP Thymocytes

Notch proteins regulate many developmental processes. Notch1 is highly expressed on thymocytes, but its role in regulating their development is not known. We show that activation of Notch1 signaling in CD4+CD8+ double positive thymocytes promotes the maturation of both CD4+ and CD8+ single positive thymocytes and that this occurs in the absence of interactions between the T cell receptor and MHC molecules expressed on thymic epithelial cells. We have also identified several genes that are transcriptionally regulated by Notch1 in T cells and show that they are upregulated during maturation into both single positive lineages. These observations suggest that Notch1 signaling plays a role in promoting maturation into both the CD4 and CD8 T cell lineages.

Inducible Expression of a p56 Lck Transgene Reveals a Central Role for Lck in the Differentiation of CD4 SP Thymocytes

The T lymphocyte–specific protein tyrosine kinase p56 lck (Lck) is an essential component of the TCR-mediated signal transduction complex. Lck knockout mice have reduced numbers of double-positive thymocytes and very few mature single-positive cells, particularly of the CD4 lineage. Here we demonstrate the ability of a tetracycline-based tissue-specific inducible Lck transgene to restore expansion of early thymocytes and maturation of single-positive cells in Lck neg mice upon induction with doxycycline. Restoration of Lck expression is particularly important for positive selection to the CD4 + lineage but has a lesser impact on selection to the CD8 + lineage, suggesting activation of Lck is an important component of the signals involved in lineage choice during thymic differentiation.

Thymic transplantation in miniature swine. I. Development and function of the "thymokidney".

Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated the importance of the thymus for rapid and stable tolerance induction in an allotransplant model. The focus of the present study was to explore the feasibility of autologous thymic transplantation to produce a new transplantable organ (thymokidney) and to examine the function of subsequent vascularized thymokidney transplants in T cell development. Eight juvenile swine received autologous thymic grafts under the renal capsule. Thymic tissue was obtained through a partial (n=6) or complete (n=2) thymectomy, and growth of the autologous thymic graft was compared between partially and completely thymectomized animals. Two of the partially thymectomized animals received irradiated (1000 cGy) as well as non-irradiated autologous thymic grafts. Graft survival, growth and evidence of thymocyte development was determined by (a) macroscopic examination of the implanted tissue, (b) histological examination, and (c) flow cytometry. Naive CD4 SP T cells were identified by CD45RA-expression. Growth of transplanted thymic tissue was demonstrated in all thymic graft recipients. No difference was seen between partially and completely thymectomized animals. By POD 60, the thymic grafts exhibited normal macroscopic and microscopic structure, and normal thymocyte composition. Irradiated thymic tissue displayed a similar pattern of development, but growth was markedly delayed. To evaluate thymic function of the graft, a composite thymokidney was transplanted into a recipient which had previously been thymectomized, had few circulating CD4-single positive cells and had lost MLR reactivity. The number of CD4+/CD45RA+ cells in this animal increased steadily from POD 30 to POD 150, indicating that the thymus of the composite thymokidney allograft was functional; in addition, MLR assays demonstrated that the recipient recovered immunocompetence. The establishment of a thymokidney by thymic autografting to the renal subcapsular space results in normal thymic growth and function, and may provide a valuable tool for studying the role of the thymus in tolerance induction. As far as we are aware, we provide the first evidence of functional vascularized thymic graft reconstituting T cells and leading to a return of a immunocompetence in a large animal model.

A full-length Cbfa1 gene product perturbs T-cell development and promotes lymphomagenesis in synergy with myc.

The Cbfa1/PEBP2 alpha A/AML3 gene plays an essential role in osteogenesis but is also expressed in the T-cell lineage where it has been implicated in lymphoma development as a target for retroviral insertional mutagenesis. As lymphoma cells with til-1 insertion express at least five distinct Cbfa1 isoforms, it is important to establish which, if any, have intrinsic oncogenic potential. We have generated transgenic mice in which the most abundant lymphoma isoform (G1/p57) is expressed under the control of the CD2 locus control region. Co-precipitation analysis of transgenic thymus revealed high levels of Cbfa1 protein in an abundant complex containing the binding cofactor Cbfb. CD2-Cbfa1-G1 mice displayed abnormal T-cell development, with a pronounced skew towards CD8 SP cells in the thymus and developed a low incidence of spontaneous lymphomas (6% at 12 months) with cells of similar phenotype. Strongly synergistic tumour development was seen when CD2-Cbfa1-G1 mice were crossed with lines carrying myc transgenes (CD2-myc or tamoxifen-regulatable CD2-mycER) and Cbfa1 was found to rescue expression of the CD2-myc transgene in pre-leukaemic mice. However, synergy did not appear to be due to a dominant block of myc-induced apoptosis by Cbfa1 as explanted primary tumours and cell lines from CD2-Cbfa1-G1/CD2-mycER mice showed accelerated death on induction with tamoxifen at similar rates to CD2-mycER controls. Moreover, thymocytes from preleukaemic CD2-Cbfa1-G1 mice showed reduced survival in vitro and increased sensitivity to the inhibitory effects of TGF-beta. This study demonstrates that a full-length Cbf alpha-chain gene can act as an oncogene without fusion to a heterologous protein.

The Transcription Factor NFAT4 Is Involved in the Generation and Survival of T Cells

Nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) is a family of four related transcription factors implicated in cytokine and early response gene expression in activated lymphocytes. Here we report that NFAT4, in contrast to NFATp and NFATc, is preferentially expressed in DP thymocytes. Mice lacking NFAT4 have impaired development of CD4 and CD8 SP thymocytes and peripheral T cells as well as hyperactivation of peripheral T cells. The thymic defect is characterized by increased apoptosis of DP thymocytes. The increased apoptosis and hyperactivation may reflect heightened sensitivity to TcR-mediated signaling. Further, mice lacking NFAT4 have impaired production of Bcl-2 mRNA and protein. NFAT4 thus plays an important role in the successful generation and survival of T cells.

The role of peptides in thymic positive selection of class II major histocompatibility complex-restricted T cells.

A thymic epithelial cell line transfected with I-Ek was used in reaggregate cultures to study the role of peptides in positive selection of T cell receptor transgenic thymocytes. In this system, positive selection of CD4 SP cells occurred only after the addition of exogenous peptide. Analysis of antigen analogs indicated an inverse relationship between the antigenicity for peripheral T cells and the concentration of peptide required for positive selection. These data are most consistent with an avidity (rather than an affinity) model of positive selection, in which ligand density and the affinity of T cell receptor act in concert to determine the fate of developing thymocytes.

Positive and negative thymocyte selection.

T cells differentiate from CD4-CD8- (DN) precursor to mature CD4+ or CD8+ (SP) thymocytes through the CD4+CD8+ (DP) stage. Immature thymocytes express pre-TCR complex composed of pT alpha and TCR beta chains, which plays a role in allelic exclusion of TCR beta and promotion from DN to DP transition. During the DP stage, thymocytes are subjected for selection, either expansion/differentiation into SP cells (positive selection) or deletion (negative selection). The level of TCR signals, which is mainly affected by the avidity between TCR and self-peptide/MHC and the contribution of coreceptors (CD4, CD8), determines the fate of thymocytes. The difference of avidity may result in distinct kinetics when signaling machinery assembles with TCR. As TCR signals increase either by high expression of TCR/coreceptors or higher avidity, the fate of thymocytes changes from default death (no selection) to positive selection and then negative selection. Although signaling pathways to discriminate these selections are largely unknown, ZAP-70 and Lck are important for both processes, whereas calcineurin and MAPK pathway play crucial roles in positive selection. TCR signals also affect the CD4/CD8 lineage commitment. The requirements for the two lineages are different. Differentiation of CD4 SP thymocytes requires stronger TCR signals, while special signals such as Notch-mediated signal are necessary for development of CD8+ cells.

Kinetics of thymocyte subset development and selection revealed by cyclosporin A treatment.

Cyclosporin A (CsA) inhibits the development of mature thymocytes from their CD4+ CD8+ precursors, but may allow autoreactive cells to mature. Using 3-color flow cytometry, we have followed the progressive development of thymocytes, including potentially autoreactive cells, during CsA treatment. Numbers of CD4+ CD8+ CD3high thymocytes dropped immediately, suggesting that the generation of these mature thymocyte precursors, normally dependent upon positive selection, was inhibited by CsA. Numbers of CD4- CD8+ thymocytes also declined rapidly, but CD4- CD8+ thymocytes were unaffected lfor 2 days, suggesting that the mature single-positive subsets are not symmetrically derived from a common GsA-sensitive precursor. An exceptional subset of CD8 SP thymocytes, expressing CD45RA, did not respond to CsA for about 10 days, indicating that they are distantly derived from a CsA-sensitive precursor. Apoptosis of TCR-Vβ3+ thymocytes caused by Mtυ-6, quantified according to the down-regulation of CD4 and CD8 on immature thymocytes, was partially inhibited by CsA, to maximal effect within 24 hours. This did not, however, facilitate their development into mature thymocytes.

Unique properties of a cytotoxic CD4+CD8+ intraepithelial T-cell line established from the mouse intestinal epithelium.

Growth factor-dependent gut intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL) cell lines were established from a long-term in vitro culture of BALB/c IEL with syngeneic irradiated spleen cells in the presence of concanavalin A-stimulated spleen supernatant fluids. The cell lines were preferentially consisted of very limited thymoindependent subsets of IEL; i.e., Thy-1+CD5-TCR alpha beta+CD4+CD8 alpha+beta- (double-positive; DP) IEL and Thy-1+CD5-TCR alpha beta+CD4-CD8 alpha+beta- (CD8 single-positive; CD8 SP) IEL. The CD8 SP IEL cell line had cytotoxic activities and was triggered to proliferate by T-cell receptor (TCR)-directed stimuli. The DP IEL cell line expressed high levels of the CD3-TCR alpha beta, exhibited cytotoxic activity in redirected lysis assays, and had perforin in the cytoplasm, indicating the functional maturity of this cell line. However, the DP IEL cell line did not proliferate in response to TCR alpha beta-directed stimuli, which indicated that TCR alpha beta-mediated signalling was able to initiate cytotoxic function but not to induce proliferation of the DP IEL cell line. Although both cell lines were shown to have functional competence, they expressed J11d antigen which marks immaturity in thymocyte differentiation pathways. These results indicate that the established thymoindependent DP and CD8 SP IEL cell lines have unique properties distinct from DP thymocytes and CD8 SP peripheral T cells. Together with a recent report on freshly isolated DP IEL (10), the unique properties of the DP IEL cell line seems to support the notion that DP IEL may undergo a unique maturation process in the gut microenvironment.

Thymic education curtailed: defective immune responses in nude rats reconstituted with immature thymocyte subsets.

We have studied the ability of thymocyte subsets from allotype marked donors to populate athymic nude rats with T cells and to restore immune responsiveness. Following adoptive transfer, CD4-CD8- double-negative (DN) thymocytes (lymphoid precursor cells) or the CD4+CD8+ double-positive (DP) subset (intermediate thymocytes) or CD4+CD8- single-positive (CD4 SP) cells (mature thymocytes) each generated a permanent population of CD4+ progeny in syngeneic nude recipients. DN and DP thymocytes also produced small numbers of CD8+ cells; there was no evidence of a CD4-CD8- or CD4+CD8+ donor cell population. CD4 SP thymocytes conferred T cell functions [graft-versus-host (GVH) responses, allograft rejection and thymus-dependent antibody responses] on nude rats that were almost indistinguishable from those conferred by mature peripheral recirculating CD4 T cells. Transfer of DP thymocytes extended the life-span of the immunoincompetent nudes and produced CD4+ progeny with near normal GVH responsiveness. However, DP-derived CD4+ cells were deficient at inducing allograft rejection and provided little or no help for antibody synthesis. The CD4+ progeny of DN thymocytes did not prolong the survival of nude recipients, gave reduced GVH reactivity, showed almost no capacity to initiate skin allograft rejection and failed to help B cells produce antibody. The results suggest that intrathymic development proceeds stepwise; each stage is accompanied by acquisition of additional properties that are reflected by T cell responses in the periphery. Thymic education does not become complete until the SP stage is reached when thymocytes become fully independent of the thymic microenvironment.

Intrathymic proliferation of perinatal mouse αβ and §γ T cell receptor-expressing mature T cells

Using three colour flow microfluorimetry to analyse simultaneously two cell surface molecules and DNA content, CD4 SP cells in the late foetal and early postnatal thymus were found to contain significant numbers of cells in the S and G2 + M phases of the cell cycle. In contrast to neonatal thymocytes, CD4 SP cells in the adult thymus were found to be non-cycling. Two other phenotypic properties, namely expression of J11d and larger cell size, also distinguish perinatal from adult CD4 SP cells. In the perinatal thymus of (B/6 x D2)F1 mice, CD4 SP thymocytes expressing either V beta 6 (Mls-reactive) or V beta 11 (I-E-reactive) TCR are deleted by negative selection yet cell cycle analysis showed that, coincident with deletion, they were cycling. Thus negative selection in the perinatal thymus was operating on a population of cycling cells. Finally, perinatal CD3+, gamma delta TCR-expressing DN thymocytes were also found to be cycling. Taken together, these results show that, prior to migration to peripheral lymphoid tissues, in the perinatal period there is intrathymic proliferation of developing gamma delta- and alpha beta-expressing T cells.