A rapid and simple method for measuring thymocyte apoptosis by propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry

Chemokines: A New Classification System and Their Role in Immunity

The tumour-necrosis-factor-family molecule osteoprotegerin ligand (OPGL; also known as TRANCE, RANKL and ODF) has been identified as a potential osteoclast differentiation factor and regulator of interactions between T cells and dendritic cells in vitro. Mice with a disrupted opgl gene show severe osteopetrosis and a defect in tooth eruption, and completely lack osteoclasts as a result of an inability of osteoblasts to support osteoclastogenesis. Although dendritic cells appear normal, opgl-deficient mice exhibit defects in early differentiation of T and B lymphocytes. Surprisingly, opgl-deficient mice lack all lymph nodes but have normal splenic structure and Peyer's patches. Thus OPGL is a new regulator of lymph-node organogenesis and lymphocyte development and is an essential osteoclast differentiation factor in vivo.

OPGL is a key regulator of osteoclastogenesis, lymphocyte development and lymph-node organogenesis

https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/0092-8674(92)90123-T.pdf

Induction of apoptosis in fibroblasts by c-myc protein

The polypeptide encoded by the cDNA for human cell surface antigen Fas can mediate apoptosis.

The receptors found on most T lymphocytes bind to antigen presented on major histocompatibility complex proteins and consist of dimers of alpha- and beta-polypeptides associated with the invariant CD3 complex. A fully competent immune system requires a diverse array of T-cell antigen receptors (TCRs) with different specificities. This diversity is generated by rearrangement of TCR alpha- and beta-chain gene segments within the thymus where the receptors are first expressed. Any cells carrying self-reactive receptors must be eliminated, suppressed or inactivated so that destructive autoimmunity is avoided. Recently, compelling evidence has shown that one process involved in producing such self-tolerance is clonal deletion of autoreactive cells within the thymus by an as-yet-undefined mechanism. Here we show that engaging the CD3/TCR complex of immature mouse thymocytes with anti-CD3 antibodies produces DNA degradation and cell death through the endogenous pathway of apoptosis. Activation of this process in immature T cells by the binding of the TCR to self-antigens may therefore be the mechanism which produces clonal deletion and consequently self-tolerance.

Antibodies to CD3/T-cell receptor complex induce death by apoptosis in immature T cells in thymic cultures.

Interactions between stromal cells and thymocytes play a crucial role in T cell development. The thymic stroma is complex and consists of epithelial cells derived from the pharyngeal region during development, together with macrophages and dendritic cells of bone marrow origin. In addition, fibroblasts and matrix molecules permeate the whole framework. It is now apparent that these individual stromal components play specialized roles at different stages of T cell differentiation. Thus, at the early CD4-8- stage of development, T cell precursors require fibroblast as well as epithelial cell interactions. Later, at the CD4+8+ stage, as well as providing low avidity TCR/MHC-peptide interactions, thymic epithelial cells have been shown to possess unique properties essential for positive selection. Dendritic cells, on the other hand, are probably efficient mediators of negative selection, but they may not be solely responsible for this activity. Alongside the functional roles of stromal cells, considerable progress is being made in unraveling the nature of the signaling pathways involved in T cell development. Identification of the pre-T cell receptor (pre-TCR) and associated signaling molecules marks an important advance in understanding the mechanisms that control gene rearrangement and allelic exclusion. In addition, a better understanding of the signaling pathways that lead to positive selection on the one hand and negative selection on the other is beginning to emerge. Many issues remain unresolved, and some are discussed in this review. What, for example, is the nature of the chemotactic factor(s) that attract stem cells to the thymus? What is the molecular basis of the essential interactions between early thymocytes and fibroblasts, and early thymocytes and epithelial cells? What is special about cortical epithelial cells in supporting positive selection? These and other issues are ripe for analysis and can now be approached using a combination of modern molecular and cellular techniques.

Cellular Interactions in Thymocyte Development

The generation of a peripheral T-cell pool is essential for normal immune system function. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are produced most efficiently in the thymus, which provides a complexity of discrete cellular microenvironments. Specialized stromal cells, that make up such microenvironments, influence each stage in the maturation programme of immature T-cell precursors. Progress has recently been made in elucidating events that regulate the development of intrathymic microenvironments, as well as mechanisms of thymocyte differentiation. It is becoming increasingly clear that the generation and maintenance of thymic environments that are capable of supporting efficient T-cell development, requires complex interplay between lymphoid and stromal compartments of the thymus.

/pdf/lymphostromal-interactions-in-thymic-development-and-japez2wxp9.pdf

Lymphostromal interactions in thymic development and function

T lymphocytes are produced in the thymus from precursors originating in the haemopoietic tissues. On entering the thymus, they undergo a programme of proliferation, T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement, differentiation and repertoire selection. Although the thymus provides a unique environment for these events, the role of the thymic stroma in regulating specific developmental stages is not well understood. We therefore devised an in vitro system to study the role of individual thymic stromal components in T-cell development. We report here that the development of TCR-CD4-CD8-T-cell precursors into TCR+ cells expressing CD4 and/or CD8 requires the presence of both major histocompatibility complex class II+ epithelial cells and fetal mesenchyme. The requirement for mesenchymal support can be mapped to the initial stages of intrathymic development because the later stages of maturation, from double-positive CD4+CD8+ thymocytes into single-positive CD4+ or CD8+ cells, can be supported by epithelial cells alone. We also show that the requirement for mesenchymal cells can be met by cells of the fibroblast line 3T3 (but not by supernatants from these cells). To our knowledge, these findings provide the first direct evidence that mesenchymal as well as epithelial cells are involved in T-cell development, and suggest that their involvement is stage-specific and likely to be dependent on short-range or contact-mediated interactions.

/pdf/mhc-class-ii-positive-epithelium-and-mesenchyme-cells-are-3pdyjyyy13.pdf

MHC class II-positive epithelium and mesenchyme cells are both required for T-cell development in the thymus

The c-Myb transcription factor is expressed in immature haemopoietic cells and at key stages during differentiation. Loss of the c-myb gene results in embryonic lethality because mature blood cells fail to develop, although commitment to definitive haemopoiesis occurs. We have generated a knockdown allele of c-myb, expressing low levels of the protein, which has enabled us to investigate further the involvement of c-Myb in haemopoiesis. Low levels of c-Myb are sufficient to allow progenitor expansion but, importantly, we show that progression of progenitors towards terminal differentiation is significantly altered. Suboptimal levels of c-Myb favour differentiation of macrophage and megakaryocytes, while higher levels seem to be particularly important in the control of erythropoiesis and lymphopoiesis. We provide evidence that the transition from the CFU-E to erythroblasts is critically dependent on c-Myb levels. During thymopoiesis, c-Myb appears to regulate immature cell numbers and differentiation prior to expression of CD4 and CD8. Overall, our results point to a complex involvement of c-Myb in the regulation of proliferation and commitment within the haemopoietic hierarchy.

/pdf/progression-through-key-stages-of-haemopoiesis-is-dependent-1g6h4s30w8.pdf

Eric J. Jenkinson

Papers

Antibodies to CD3/T-cell receptor complex induce death by apoptosis in immature T cells in thymic cultures.

Cellular Interactions in Thymocyte Development

Lymphostromal interactions in thymic development and function

MHC class II-positive epithelium and mesenchyme cells are both required for T-cell development in the thymus

Progression through key stages of haemopoiesis is dependent on distinct threshold levels of c‐Myb