The Journal of Immunology, Vol 140, Issue 4 1089-1094, Copyright © 1988 by American Association of Immunologists

ARTICLES

Proliferation and production of IL-2 and B cell stimulatory factor 1/IL- 4 in early fetal thymocytes by activation through Thy-1 and CD3

L Tentori, DM Pardoll, JC Zuniga, J Hu-Li, WE Paul, JA Bluestone and AM Kruisbeek
Division of Cancer Treatment, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.

To examine which cell surface molecules can operate as transducers of activation signals to early fetal thymocytes, we analyzed the ability of mAb to CD3 and Thy-1 to induce fetal thymocyte activation. Both proliferation and lymphokine secretion were used as measures of activation. We show that anti-CD3 antibodies induce activation of fetal thymocytes as early as day 13 of fetal thymus development, 2 days before CD3 can be detected by flow cytometry. In addition, an alternative activation signal can be delivered to fetal thymocytes through the Thy-1 molecule as early as it is expressed, i.e., day 13. Both CD3- and Thy-1-mediated activation of day 15 fetal thymocytes results in expansion of cells expressing a CD3-gamma delta receptor complex; no CD3-alpha beta receptor complex could be detected. IL-2 production induced by CD3- and Thy-1-induced activation of fetal thymocytes is evident at the 13th day of gestation. Finally, an additional lymphokine B cell stimulatory factor-1 (BSF-1)/IL-4 (so far known only to be produced by mature CD3- cells), is also produced by fetal thymocytes. The results demonstrate that at least two cell surface molecules, Thy-1 and CD3, can function as pathways of activation in fetal thymocytes, and that at least two lymphokines, IL-2 and BSF-1/IL-4, are produced upon activation. These findings may well reflect a role for the early appearance of CD3- cells in thymus ontogeny.

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