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The Journal of Immunology, Vol 149, Issue 7 2307-2314, Copyright © 1992 by American Association of Immunologists
ARTICLES |
F Lynch and EM Shevach
Laboratory of Immunology, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
We have analyzed the requirements for the induction of proliferative responses by thymic CD4-CD8- gamma delta T cells. Enriched populations of CD4-CD8- thymocytes from newborn mice, purified by negative selection with anti-CD4, anti-CD8, and anti-TCR alpha beta mAbs were found to contain approximately 20% gamma delta T cells that were p55IL- 2R-. When these cells were cultured with a panel of lymphokines (IL-1, - 2, -4, and -7), a small response was observed to some of the cytokines tested individually; however, combinations of certain lymphokines (IL-1 + 2, IL-1 + 7, and IL-2 + 7) were found to induce significant proliferation and the selective outgrowth (75-90%) of gamma delta T cells. These cells were IL-2R+, remained CD4-, yet expressed variable levels of CD8. A limited analysis with specific anti-V gamma and V delta mAb suggested that there had not been a selective expansion of preexisting V gamma 2, V gamma 3, or V delta 4 populations in response to the stimulatory lymphokine combinations. Thymic CD4-CD8- gamma delta T cells were unresponsive to stimulation with immobilized anti-pan gamma delta mAb alone. However, in the presence of immobilized anti-pan gamma delta mAb and IL-1, IL-2, or IL-7, but not IL-4, a vigorous proliferative response was observed. Phenotypic analysis showed that 80 to 95% of the proliferating cells were polyclonally expanded gamma delta T cells, expressed the p55IL-2R, and the majority remained CD4- CD8-. Blocking studies with anti-IL-2R mAb showed that stimulation with anti-pan gamma delta + IL-1, but not anti-pan gamma delta + IL-7 was dependent on endogenously produced IL-2. Collectively, these studies suggest that the activation requirements of newborn thymic gamma delta T cells differ markedly from alpha beta T cells in that gamma delta T cells 1) respond to combinations of cytokines in the absence of TCR cross-linking, 2) can respond to TCR cross-linking in the presence of exogenous cytokines, 3) but are unable to activate endogenous cytokine production solely in the presence of TCR cross-linking.
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