NK1.1+ CD4+ CD8- thymocytes with specific lymphokine secretion |
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Authors: | Hisashi Arase Noriko Arase Ken-Ichi Nakagawa Robert A Good Kazunori Ono |
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Institution: | Hisashi Arase,Noriko Arase,Ken-Ichi Nakagawa,Robert A. Good,Kazunori Onoé |
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Abstract: | CD4+8? or CD4?8+ thymocytes have been regarded as direct progenitors of peripheral T cells. However, recently, we have found a novel NK1.1+ subpopulation with skewed T cell antigen receptor (TcR) Vβ family among heat-stable antigen negative (HSA?) CD4+8? thymocytes. In the present study, we show that these NK1.1+ CD4+8? thymocytes, which represent a different lineage from the major NK1.1? CD4+8? thymocytes or CD4+ lymph node T cells, vigorously secrete interleukin (IL)-4 and interfron (IFN)-γ upon stimulation with immobilized anti-TcR-αβ antibody. On the other hand, neither NK1.1? CD4+8?thymocytes nor CD4+ lymph node T cells produced substantial amounts of these lymphokines. A similar pattern of lymphokine secretion was observed with the NK1.1+ CD4+ T cells obtained from bone marrow. The present findings elucidate the recent observations that HSA? CD4+8? thymocytes secrete a variety of lymphokines including IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 before the CD4+8? thymocytes are exported from thymus. Our evidence indicates that NK1.1+ CD4+8? thymocytes are totally responsible for the specific lymphokine secretions observed in the HSA- CD4+8? thymocytes. |
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Keywords: | NK1 1+ CD4+8− T cell CD4+ bone marrow T cell Interleukin-2 Interleukin-4 Interferon-γ |
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