| First Author | Konishi J | Year | 2000 |
| Journal | Cell Immunol | Volume | 206 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 26-35 |
| PubMed ID | 11161435 | Mgi Jnum | J:67083 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:1929825 | Doi | 10.1006/cimm.2000.1723 |
| Citation | Konishi J, et al. (2000) Thymic epithelial cells responsible for impaired generation of NK-T thymocytes in Alymphoplasia mutant mice. Cell Immunol 206(1):26-35 |
| abstractText | We have previously shown that the generation of an NK1.1+TCRalphabeta+ (NK-T) cell population is severely impaired in an alymphoplasia mutant (aly/aly) mouse strain and the defect resides in the thymic environment. In the present study, to elucidate the thymic stromal component(s) that affects the development of NK-T cells, radiation bone marrow chimeras were established with the aly/aly mouse as a donor and either the beta2 microglobulin knockout (beta2m-/-) or the CD1d1-/- mouse that also lacks the NK-T cell population as a recipient. A normal population of NK-T cells with a typical NK-T phenotype and functions was detected in both the thymus and the spleen of these chimeras. These findings indicated that a radiation-resistant CD1(-) component of the thymus supported generation of functional NK-T cells from aly/aly precursors. Furthermore, transfer of an intact medullary thymic epithelial cell line into aly/aly thymus significantly induced the generation of NK-T cells in the thymus. These findings suggest that CD1 molecules of bone marrow-derived cells and the medullary epithelial cells acted in concert in the generation of the NK-T cell population and that a function(s) of the medullary thymic epithelial cells other than direct presentation of CD1 molecules to the NK-T precursors is indispensable for the development of NK-T cells. Copyright 2000 Academic Press. |
