| First Author | Itano A | Year | 1996 |
| Journal | J Exp Med | Volume | 183 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 731-41 |
| PubMed ID | 8642277 | Mgi Jnum | J:90254 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3042758 | Doi | 10.1084/jem.183.3.731 |
| Citation | Itano A, et al. (1996) The cytoplasmic domain of CD4 promotes the development of CD4 lineage T cells. J Exp Med 183(3):731-41 |
| abstractText | Thymocytes must bind major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins on thymic epithelial cells in order to mature into either CD8+ cytotoxic T cells or CD4+ helper T cells. Thymic precursors express both CD8 and CD4, and it has been suggested that the intracellular signals generated by CD8 or CD4 binding to class I or II MHC, respectively, might influence the fate of uncommitted cells. Here we test the notion that intracellular signaling by CD4 directs the development of thymocytes to a CD4 lineage. A hybrid protein consisting of the CD8 extracellular and transmembrane domains and the cytoplasmic domain of CD4 (CD884) should bind class I MHC but deliver a CD4 intracellular signal. We find that expression of a hybrid CD884 protein in thymocytes of transgenic mice leads to the development of large numbers of class I MHC-specific, CD4 lineage T cells. We discuss these results in terms of current models for CD4 and CD8 lineage commitment. |
