The Journal of Immunology, Vol 155, Issue 10 4653-4660, Copyright © 1995 by American Association of Immunologists

ARTICLES

Stimulation of thymocytes before and after positive selection results in the induction of different NF-kappa B/Rel protein complexes

NC Moore, J Girdlestone, G Anderson, JJ Owen and EJ Jenkinson
Centre for Clinical Research in Immunology & Signalling, Medical School, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Positive selection triggers the differentiation of immature CD4+8+TCRlow thymocytes into TCRhigh single-positive CD4+ or CD8+ cells and is associated with major changes in gene expression. However, little is known about the DNA binding factors controlling these fundamental changes. Here we have examined NF-kappa B/Rel subunit expression and DNA-binding activity in developing thymocytes before and after the induction of positive selection. We show that positive selection is accompanied by the strong up-regulation of c-rel mRNA expression and the constitutive activation of p50/p65 and p50/c-Rel NF- kappa B/Rel complexes, confirming the activation-like status of cells undergoing positive selection. Moreover, CD69+ cells that have initiated positive selection (but not their preselection CD4+8+TCR- precursors) respond to stimulation by the preferential activation of c- Rel-containing DNA-binding complexes. Because the different NF-kappa B/Rel dimers have distinct transcriptional activities and binding site preferences, this preferential activation of c-Rel-containing DNA- binding complexes may well have implications for the changes in gene expression and functional response associated with positive selection.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. L. Mora, S. Stanley, W. Armistead, A. C. Chan, and M. Boothby Inefficient ZAP-70 Phosphorylation and Decreased Thymic Selection In Vivo Result from Inhibition of NF-{kappa}B/Rel J. Immunol., November 15, 2001; 167(10): 5628 - 5635. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Hettmann and J. M. Leiden NF-{kappa}B Is Required for the Positive Selection of CD8+ Thymocytes J. Immunol., November 1, 2000; 165(9): 5004 - 5010. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-W. He, C. Beers, M. L. Deftos, E. W. Ojala, K. A. Forbush, and M. J. Bevan Down-Regulation of the Orphan Nuclear Receptor ROR{gamma}t Is Essential for T Lymphocyte Maturation J. Immunol., June 1, 2000; 164(11): 5668 - 5674. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. K. Yoshimura, T. Wang, and M. Cankovic Sequences between the Enhancer and Promoter in the Long Terminal Repeat Affect Murine Leukemia Virus Pathogenicity and Replication in the Thymus J. Virol., June 1, 1999; 73(6): 4890 - 4898. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				T. R. Bakker, T. Renno, and C. V. Jongeneel Impaired Fetal Thymocyte Development After Efficient Adenovirus-Mediated Inhibition of NF-{kappa}B Activation J. Immunol., March 15, 1999; 162(6): 3456 - 3462. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Hettmann, J. DiDonato, M. Karin, and J. M. Leiden An Essential Role for Nuclear Factor kappa B in Promoting Double Positive Thymocyte Apoptosis J. Exp. Med., January 4, 1999; 189(1): 145 - 158. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Pedroza-Martins, K. B. Gurney, B. E. Torbett, and C. H. Uittenbogaart Differential Tropism and Replication Kinetics of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Isolates in Thymocytes: Coreceptor Expression Allows Viral Entry, but Productive Infection of Distinct Subsets Is Determined at the Postentry Level J. Virol., December 1, 1998; 72(12): 9441 - 9452. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Y. Lee, D. R. Kaufman, A. L. Mora, A. Santana, M. Boothby, and Y. Choi Stimulus-dependent Synergism of the Antiapoptotic Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-associated Factor 2 (TRAF2) and Nuclear Factor kappa B Pathways J. Exp. Med., October 5, 1998; 188(7): 1381 - 1384. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. J. Hare, R. W. Wilkinson, E. J. Jenkinson, and G. Anderson Identification of a Developmentally Regulated Phase of Postselection Expansion Driven by Thymic Epithelium J. Immunol., April 15, 1998; 160(8): 3666 - 3672. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Ochoa-Garay, J. Kaye, and J. E. Coligan Nuclear Factor {kappa}B Is Required for Peptide Antigen-Induced Differentiation of a CD4+CD8+ Thymocyte Line J. Immunol., April 15, 1998; 160(8): 3835 - 3843. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. R. Boothby, A. L. Mora, D. C. Scherer, J. A. Brockman, and D. W. Ballard Perturbation of the T Lymphocyte Lineage In Transgenic Mice Expressing a Constitutive Repressor of Nuclear Factor (NF)-kappa B J. Exp. Med., June 2, 1997; 185(11): 1897 - 1907. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]