CD8SP Thymocytes Research Articles

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.

Ligand-specific selection of MHC class II-restricted thymocytes in fetal thymic organ culture.

Positive and negative selection of thymocytes is determined by the specificity of the TCR and signaling through its associated molecules. We have studied selection of thymocytes bearing a MHC class II-restricted TCR using fetal thymic organ culture. This system allows the addition of peptides to the already diverse panoply of endogenous peptide ligands and is useful for analyzing ligand-specific negative selection of CD4 single positive (CD4SP) thymocytes. The data reveal that the ability of a given ligand to mediate negative selection is related to its dissociation rate from the TCR. We find that negative selection is very sensitive, and only the weakest ligand that we can identify fails to induce negative selection. None of the numerous peptides tested were able to induce an increase in CD4SP thymocytes. In addition, the ligands that induce negative selection of CD4SP thymocytes also cause an increase in numbers of CD8SP thymocytes bearing high levels of the class II-restricted TCR. Although these cells have a cell surface phenotype consistent with positive selection, they most likely represent cells in the process of negative selection. Further analysis reveals that these cells are not induced by these ligands in intact adult animals and that their induction is probably only revealed in the organ culture system.

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.

Phenotypic analysis of the medullary-type CD4−CD8+ thymocytes in mice

Phenotypic analysis of the medullary-type CD4 CD8+ (CD8SP) thymocytes has revealed phenotypic heterogeneity within this cell population. The phenotype of mature peripheral CDS+T cells is TCRαβ+CD3+Qa-2+HSA 3G11−6C10, whereas in the medullary-type CD8SP thymocytes, 20% are Qa-2+; 33%, HAS; 30%, 3G11; and 70% are 6C10. The disparate expression patterns of these four cell surface markers suggest that medullary-type CD8SP thymocytes may undergo phenotypic maturation process. According to the distribution of these four cell surface markers, six subgroups of CD8SP thymocytes have been identified. The precursor-progeny relationship along with developmental pathway is postulated as follows: 6C10+HSA+3G11 Qa-2→ 6C10+HSA+ 3G11+Qa-2 → 6C10 HSA+3G11+Qa-2 → 6C10−HSA−3G11+Qa-2 → 6C10−HSA−3G11 Qa-2 → 6C10−HA S 3G11 Qa-2+, the cells in the last subgroup exit the thymus and home into periphery.

Characterization of a murine thymic CD4+ T cell subset-TCRαβ+ 3G11− 6C10− CD4+ CD8− thymocytes

The presence of a relatively mature CD4(+) CD8(-) (SP) T cell subset in mouse thymus has been demonstrated. Composing of 10% of total CD4SP thymocytes, this subset is defined by the absence of 3G11 and 6C10 expression with a phenotype of CD69(+/-), HSA(med/lo) and heterogeneous for Qa-2 expression. The proliferation capability of TCRalphabeta(+) 3Gl l(-) 6C10(-) CD4(+) CD8(-) thymocytes was high while using Con A stimulus. And Con A stimulation could result in secretion of IL4, IL-10, IL-6 and a little amount of IFNgamma. IL-2 was barely detectable. This is distinct from typical Th0 type cytokines. The cells of this subset were NK1.1 negative, but strongly expressed GATA-3 mRNA. The results suggest that the CD4(+) subset of 3G11(-) 6C10(-) NK1.1(-) phenotype possesses immunocompetent cells with functions characteristic of Th2-like cytokines, which may indicate the cells at transitional status from Th0 to Th2, with a propensity to Th2.

Differentiation of human single-positive fetal thymocytes in vitro into IL-4- and/or IFN-gamma-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.

In this study we have investigated the capacity of human fetal thymocytes to differentiate in vitro into subsets of T cells with polarized Th1 or Th2 cytokine profiles. Stimulation of freshly isolated human fetal thymocytes with anti-CD3 mAb, cross-linked onto CD32,CD58,CD80-expressing mouse fibroblasts and subsequent culture in the presence of exogenous rIL-2 for 6 days, induced the production of both IL-4 and IFN-gamma, which was mainly produced by CD4+ single-positive (SP) and CD8+ SP cells respectively. Addition of rIL-4 during priming augmented IL-4 production in cultures of human fetal thymocytes, which was mainly due to an increased production of IL-4 by CD8SP cells. In contrast, addition of IL-4 to the cultures only slightly enhanced IL-4 production and had little effect on frequencies of IL-4-producing CD4SP cells. Both CD4SP and CD8SP cells produced IL-5, IL-10 and IL-13 at comparable levels, following priming in the presence of rIL-4. Priming in the presence of rIL-12 strongly enhanced the production of IFN-gamma in both CD4SP and CD8SP cells. No correlation between expression of CD27, CD30 and CD60, and a particular cytokine profile of differentiated thymocytes could be demonstrated. Together, these results demonstrate the full capacity of fetal human thymocytes to differentiate into cytokine-producing T cells in a priming milieu with appropriate stimulatory molecules and exogenous cytokines. In addition, CD4SP thymocytes rapidly differentiate into polarized Th2 cells following stimulation in vitro in the absence of exogenous rIL-4.

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.

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.

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.

Generation of mature T cell populations in the thymus: CD4 or CD8 down-regulation occurs at different stages of thymocyte differentiation.

We have studied the differentiation and repertoire selection during the maturation of CD4+CD8+ (DP) thymocytes into CD4+CD8- (CD4SP) and CD8+CD4- (CD8SP) T cells, in normal mice, mice transgenic for T cell receptor (TcR)-alpha beta restricted by either class I or class II major histocompatibility (MHC), and in mice deficient in class I or class II MHC expression. Our data suggest that mature CD4 and CD8 T cells derive from different pathways of T cell differentiation in the thymus. Thus, interaction of DP thymocytes with MHC class II leads to the immediate down-regulation of CD8, which occurs simultaneously with an increase in TcR expression; DPTcR(lo)HSA(hi) thymocytes mature into a CD4+CD8(lo) TcR(hi)HSA(hi) intermediate population. This cell population generates CD4SP thymocytes, the majority of which are still HSA(hi). In contrast, interaction with MHC class I induces the up-regulation of TcR, which precedes the down-regulation of CD4; DPTcR(lo) generate DPTcR(hi) thymocytes, the majority of which are the committed precursors of CD8SP cells. Further differentiation results in CD4 down-regulation and the transition from DPTcR(hi) into CD8+CD4(lo) TcR(hi)HSA(lo) and +D8SPTcR(hi)HSA- T cells. Since down-regulation of CD4 and CD8 occurs at different stages of thymocyte differentiation, our results do not support a stochastic/selective model of lineage commitment in the thymus.

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.