scholarly journals The kinetics of T cell antigen receptor expression by subgroups of CD4+8+ thymocytes: delineation of CD4+8+3(2+) thymocytes as post-selection intermediates leading to mature T cells.

1991 ◽  
Vol 173 (2) ◽  
pp. 323-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Shortman ◽  
D Vremec ◽  
M Egerton

Cortical thymocytes from adult mice, separated on the basis of coexpression of CD4 and CD8 or of binding of high levels of peanut agglutinin (PNA), were subdivided according to the level of expression of the T cell receptor (TCR)-CD3 complex. The incidence of dividing cells in the resultant subpopulations was determined by DNA staining. Precursor-product relationships and the timing of TCR-CD3 acquisition were studied using continuous in vivo [3H]TdR labeling and radioautography. The extent of intrathymic selection for TCR specificity in the subpopulations was determined from the incidence of cells bearing V beta 6 or V beta 17a in different mouse strains. The majority of dividing CD4+8+ blast cells expressed extremely low levels of TCR-CD3, indicating that TCR expression and specificity selection generally occurred after division ceased. The [3H]TdR-labeling studies indicated that postdivision TCR expression was rapid, and that those nondividing cortical thymocytes which had not expressed significant levels of TCR by day 1, remained extremely low or negative for their entire 3.6-d lifespan. Small cortical thymocytes which expressed moderate levels of TCR-CD3, were predominantly an unselected population with a lifespan of 3.8 d. A small subgroup of CD4+8+ PNA+ cortical thymocytes expressing high levels of TCR-CD3 was identified as a nondividing intermediate between the small cortical thymocytes expressing moderate levels of TCR and mature medullary thymocytes. These intermediates showed a 1-d lag in [3H]TdR labeling, then a 3.4-d transit time. The cell flux through this intermediate subpopulation was approximately 10(6) cells/d, similar to the rate of turnover of mature thymocytes; thus, although only 3-4% of thymocytes progressed to this intermediate state, once reaching it most then progressed to full maturity. In accordance with this, the incidence of the V beta selection markers within the intermediate subpopulation indicated that both positive and negative selection had already occurred. Selection for TCR specificity in the systems studied appeared to take place among CD4+8+ thymocytes expressing intermediate levels of TCR.

2008 ◽  
Vol 122 (10) ◽  
pp. 2280-2285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolin Lüking ◽  
Konrad Kronenberger ◽  
Bernhard Frankenberger ◽  
Elfriede Nößner ◽  
Martin Röcken ◽  
...  

Blood ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 78 (8) ◽  
pp. 2053-2061 ◽  
Author(s):  
JC Bories ◽  
JM Cayuela ◽  
P Loiseau ◽  
F Sigaux

Abstract Regulation of V-(D)-J recombinations that occur in antigen receptor encoding genes remains poorly understood. Recently, two genes, RAG1 and RAG2, that are able to activate rearrangement of synthetic recombination substrates were cloned in mouse and a human gene homologous to RAG1 was described. To define the differentiation stages corresponding to RAG1 and RAG2 RNA expression, we have studied a large number of B- and T-lymphoid neoplasias. First, we show that a human gene homologous to the murine RAG2 is transcribed in humans. Moreover, using a polymerase chain reaction approach, we have shown that RAG are expressed not only in T-cell receptor (TCR)-negative T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALLs), but also in some cases in which a significant percentage of cells expressed surface TCR. Absence of RAG expression was shown in certain T-ALLs at variable stages of thymic differentiation. Data obtained in B-lineage ALLs show that RAG RNAs are expressed in almost all slg- B-lineage ALLs but are not transcribed in the slg+ B-cell proliferations tested, including Burkitt's ALLs, follicular center cell lymphomas, and chronic leukemias. These findings are consistent with the involvement of RAG in the control of in vivo V- (D)-J recombinations. These findings are also of interest in the delineation of potential regulatory factors acting on RAG transcription and in the understanding of the mechanisms of specific chromosomal abnormalities occurring in immature lymphoid cells.


1995 ◽  
Vol 181 (6) ◽  
pp. 2283-2287 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Renno ◽  
M Hahne ◽  
H R MacDonald

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is a bacterial superantigen that binds to major histocompatibility complex class II molecules and selectively interacts with T cells that bear certain T cell receptor (TCR) V beta domains. Administration of SEB in adult mice results in initial proliferation of V beta 8+ T cells followed by a state of unresponsiveness resulting from a combination of clonal deletion and clonal anergy in the SEB-reactive population. At this time, it is unclear what relationship exists between the T cells that have proliferated and those that have been deleted or have become anergic. Here we show that only a fraction of the potentially reactive V beta 8+ T cells proliferate in response to SEB in vivo, and that all the cells that have proliferated eventually undergo apoptosis. Virtually no apoptosis can be detected in the nonproliferating V beta 8+ T cells. These data demonstrate a causal relationship between proliferation and apoptosis in response to SEB in vivo, and they further indicate that T cells bearing the same TCR V beta segment can respond differently to the same superantigen. The implications of this differential responsiveness in terms of activation and tolerance are discussed.


1987 ◽  
Vol 166 (4) ◽  
pp. 1168-1173 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Hertel-Wulff ◽  
T Lindsten ◽  
R Schwadron ◽  
DM Gilbert ◽  
MM Davis ◽  
...  

Naturally occurring suppressor cells of the in vitro mixed leukocyte culture reaction and of in vivo graft-vs.-host disease have been identified in the spleens of neonatal mice (1) and of adult mice recovering from total lymphoid irradiation (2), whole-body irradiation (3), and syngeneic marrow transplantation (4), or cyclophosphamide therapy (5). Using both positive and negative selection procedures, the suppressors were reported to be null lymphocytes that did not express mature macrophage surface markers, nor differentiate into mature macrophages in vitro, nor demonstrate natural killer (NK) activity (1). Subsequently, cloned lines of these natural suppressor (NS) cells were derived from either adult mice given total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) (2) or from neonates (6). The cloned NS cell lines expressed a surface phenotype (2, 6) similar to that reported previously for cloned NK cells (Thy-1(+), asialo-GM1(+), Ig(-), Lyt-1(-), Lyt-2(-), Ia(-), MAC-1(-)) (7-9). However, the NS cells did not show NK activity in the standard assay with YAC-1 target cells. The cloned NS lines suppressed the proliferation of responder cells and the generation of cytolytic cells in the mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR), and suppressed lethal graft-vs.-host disease in vivo (10, 11). In view of the unusual function and surface phenotype of the cells, the lineage of these cells remained unclear. To determine the lineage of the cloned NS cells, we searched for expression and rearrangement of the α and β chain genes of the T cell antigen receptor, as well as that of the γ chain gene. Studies of the phenotypically similar NK cell yielded conflicting results. Thus, cloned lines of murine NK cells were reported to have rearrangements of the β chain genes, and to express mRNA for all three chains (12). In contrast, freshly purified rat or human large granular lymphocytes (LGL) were shown to express only the 1.0 kb mRNA species of the β chain gene (13), indicative of D-J joining (14). Thus, some but not all cells with NK function express the T cell receptor and are members of the T cell lineage. The current report shows that the NS lines express full-length mRNA transcripts for the a and β chain of the T cell receptor, as well as the γ chain gene.


2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
M P Rubinstein ◽  
M L Salem ◽  
A N Kadima ◽  
C L Nguyen ◽  
W E Gillanders ◽  
...  

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte A. James ◽  
Yuexin Xu ◽  
Melissa S. Aguilar ◽  
Lichen Jing ◽  
Erik D. Layton ◽  
...  

AbstractT cells recognize mycobacterial glycolipid (mycolipid) antigens presented by CD1b molecules, but the role of CD4 and CD8 co-receptors in mycolipid recognition is unknown. Here we show CD1b-mycolipid tetramers reveal a hierarchy in which circulating T cells expressing CD4 or CD8 co-receptor stain with a higher tetramer mean fluorescence intensity than CD4-CD8- T cells. CD4+ primary T cells transduced with mycolipid-specific T cell receptors bind CD1b-mycolipid tetramer with a higher fluorescence intensity than CD8+ primary T cells. The presence of either CD4 or CD8 also decreases the threshold for interferon-γ secretion. Co-receptor expression increases surface expression of CD3ε, suggesting a mechanism for increased tetramer binding and activation. Targeted transcriptional profiling of mycolipid-specific T cells from individuals with active tuberculosis reveals canonical markers associated with cytotoxicity among CD8+ compared to CD4+ T cells. Thus, expression of co-receptors modulates T cell receptor avidity for mycobacterial lipids, leading to in vivo functional diversity during tuberculosis disease.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A.E. Elliot ◽  
Emma K. Jennings ◽  
David A.J. Lecky ◽  
Natasha Thawait ◽  
Adriana Flores-Langarica ◽  
...  

SummaryHow T cell receptor (TCR) signal strength modulates T cell function and to what extent this is modified by immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) are key questions in immunology. Using Nr4a3-Tocky mice as a digital read-out of NFAT pathway activity, we identify the rapid quantitative and qualitative changes that occur in CD4+ T cells in response to a range of TCR signalling strengths. We demonstrate that the time and dose dependent programming of distinct co-inhibitory receptors rapidly re-calibrates T cell activation thresholds. By developing a new in vivo model, we analyse the immediate effects of ICB on T cell re-activation. Our findings reveal that anti-PD1 but not anti-Lag3 immunotherapy leads to an increased TCR signal strength. We define a strong TCR signal metric of five genes specifically upregulated by anti-PD1 in T cells (TCR.strong), which can stratify clinical outcomes during anti-PD1 monotherapy in melanoma patients. Our study therefore reveals how analysis of TCR signal strength – and its manipulation – can provide powerful metrics for monitoring outcomes to immunotherapy.Key PointsTCR signal strength-dependent programming of CD4+ T cells revealed over time in vivoInhibitory receptor expression is dynamic, TCR signal strength dependent, and rapidly re-calibrates T cell activation thresholdsPD1 but not Lag3 blockade leads to a unique and increased TCR signal strength signature (coined TCR.strong)TCR.strong metric stratifies melanoma patient survival in response to Nivolumab (anti-PD1) therapy


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A175-A175
Author(s):  
Kathrin Davari ◽  
Tristan Holland ◽  
Laura Prassmayer ◽  
Giulia Longinotti ◽  
Kenneth Ganley ◽  
...  

BackgroundThe cancer-testis antigen MAGE-A4 is an attractive target for T cell-based immunotherapy, especially for indications with unmet clinical need like non-small-cell lung carcinoma or triple-negative breast cancer. Overcoming high tumor burden using adoptive transfer of T cells modified to express a transgenic T cell receptor (TCR) demands optimal recognition of the corresponding target on tumor cells by the TCR-modified T cells (TCR-Ts). Here we describe the isolation and pre-clinical characterization of high avidity TCR-Ts expressing a human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-A*02:01-restricted MAGE-A4-specific TCR that is fully functional in T cells irrespective of CD4 or CD8 co-receptor expression.MethodsAn unbiased CD137-based sorting approach was first used to identify an immunogenic MAGE-A4-derived candidate epitope that was properly processed and presented on HLA-A2 molecules encoded by the HLA-A*02:01 allele. To isolate high avidity T cells via subsequent multimer sorting, an in vitro priming approach using HLA-A2-negative donors (allogeneic-HLA-restricted priming approach) was conducted to bypass central tolerance to this self-antigen. Pre-clinical parameters of safety and activity were assessed in a comprehensive set of in vitro and in vivo studies of the lead TCR candidate derived from a selected T cell clone.ResultsA TCR recognizing the MAGE-A4-derived decapeptide GVYDGREHTV was isolated from primed T cells of a non-tolerant HLA-A2-negative donor. The respective TCR-T cell product bbT485, expressing the lead TCR in T cells from healthy donors, was demonstrated pre-clinically to have a favorable safety profile and superior in vivo potency compared to TCR-Ts made using a TCR derived from an HLA-A2-positive donor bearing a tolerized T cell repertoire to self-antigens. The natural high avidity allogeneic (allo)-derived TCR was found to be CD8 co-receptor-independent, allowing effector functions to be elicited in transgenic CD4+ T helper cells. These CD4+ TCR-T cells not only supported an anti-tumor response by direct killing of MAGE-A4-positive tumor cells, but also upregulated hallmarks associated with helper function, such as CD154 expression and release of key cytokines upon tumor-specific stimulation.ConclusionsThe extensive pre-clinical assessment of safety and in vivo potency of this non-mutated high avidity, CD8 co-receptor-independent, MAGE-A4-specific HLA-A2 restricted TCR provide the basis for its use in clinical TCR-T immunotherapy studies. The ability of this co-receptor-independent TCR to activate all transduced T cells (irrespective of CD4 or CD8 expression) could potentially provide enhanced cellular responses in the clinical setting through the induction of functionally diverse T cell subsets that goes beyond what is currently tested in the clinic.


Blood ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 78 (8) ◽  
pp. 2053-2061 ◽  
Author(s):  
JC Bories ◽  
JM Cayuela ◽  
P Loiseau ◽  
F Sigaux

Regulation of V-(D)-J recombinations that occur in antigen receptor encoding genes remains poorly understood. Recently, two genes, RAG1 and RAG2, that are able to activate rearrangement of synthetic recombination substrates were cloned in mouse and a human gene homologous to RAG1 was described. To define the differentiation stages corresponding to RAG1 and RAG2 RNA expression, we have studied a large number of B- and T-lymphoid neoplasias. First, we show that a human gene homologous to the murine RAG2 is transcribed in humans. Moreover, using a polymerase chain reaction approach, we have shown that RAG are expressed not only in T-cell receptor (TCR)-negative T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALLs), but also in some cases in which a significant percentage of cells expressed surface TCR. Absence of RAG expression was shown in certain T-ALLs at variable stages of thymic differentiation. Data obtained in B-lineage ALLs show that RAG RNAs are expressed in almost all slg- B-lineage ALLs but are not transcribed in the slg+ B-cell proliferations tested, including Burkitt's ALLs, follicular center cell lymphomas, and chronic leukemias. These findings are consistent with the involvement of RAG in the control of in vivo V- (D)-J recombinations. These findings are also of interest in the delineation of potential regulatory factors acting on RAG transcription and in the understanding of the mechanisms of specific chromosomal abnormalities occurring in immature lymphoid cells.


1997 ◽  
Vol 185 (9) ◽  
pp. 1573-1584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew P. Cope ◽  
Roland S. Liblau ◽  
Xiao-Dong Yang ◽  
Mauro Congia ◽  
Carlo Laudanna ◽  
...  

Repeated injections of adult mice with recombinant murine TNF prolong the survival of NZB/W F1 mice, and suppress type I insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. To determine whether repeated TNF injections suppress T cell function in adult mice, we studied the responses of influenza hemagglutinin-specific T cells derived from T cell receptor (HNT-TCR) transgenic mice. Treatment of adult mice with murine TNF for 3 wk suppressed a broad range of T cell responses, including proliferation and cytokine production. Furthermore, T cell responses of HNT-TCR transgenic mice also expressing the human TNF-globin transgene were markedly reduced compared to HNT-TCR single transgenic littermates, indicating that sustained p55 TNF-R signaling is sufficient to suppress T cell function in vivo. Using a model of chronic TNF exposure in vitro, we demonstrate that (a) chronic TNF effects are dose and time dependent, (b) TNF suppresses the responses of both Th1 and Th2 T helper subsets, (c) the suppressive effects of endogenous TNF produced in T cell cultures could be reversed with neutralizing monoclonal antibodies to TNF, and (d) prolonged TNF exposure attenuates T cell receptor signaling. The finding that anti-TNF treatment in vivo enhances T cell proliferative responses and cytokine production provides evidence for a novel regulatory effect of TNF on T cells in healthy laboratory mice. These effects are more pronounced in chronic inflammatory disease. In addition, our data provide a mechanism through which prolonged TNF exposure suppresses disease in animal models of autoimmunity.


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