Abstract
In normal mice, single-positive thymocytes proliferate before being exported into the peripheral T cell pool. We measured the in vivo proliferation rates of mature thymocytes in several TCR transgenic mice. Different monoclonal TCR transgenic single-positive thymocytes proliferated at different rates in a given MHC context. Conversely, mature thymocytes expressing a given TCR, generated in mice of different MHC haplotypes, also showed different rates of proliferation. In p59(fyn)-deficient mice, the proliferation rate of mature thymocytes was diminished. Thus, premigrant thymocyte expansion is TCR mediated and depends on TCR affinity for self peptide/MHC ligands. In addition, we show that mature thymocyte expansion is clonotypic, increases the daily thymic T cell output, and modifies the TCR repertoire of newly produced T cells.
Publication types
-
Comparative Study
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
-
Animals
-
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
-
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
-
Cell Movement
-
DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
-
Female
-
Flow Cytometry
-
H-2 Antigens / physiology
-
Lymphocyte Activation*
-
Mice
-
Mice, Inbred C57BL
-
Mice, Transgenic
-
Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
-
Proto-Oncogene Proteins / physiology
-
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fyn
-
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / immunology
-
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / genetics
-
T-Lymphocyte Subsets / classification
-
T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
-
Thymus Gland / immunology*
Substances
-
DNA-Binding Proteins
-
H-2 Antigens
-
Proto-Oncogene Proteins
-
Rag2 protein, mouse
-
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
-
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
-
V(D)J recombination activating protein 2
-
Fyn protein, mouse
-
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fyn