Variations in the expression of theta-C3H alloantigen on thymic and peripheral lymphocytes of newborn and young adult mice

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1974 · Cell. Immunol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0008-8749(74)90240-8· OSTI ID:7184709

Chanana, A D ^[1]; Schaedeli, J; Hess, M W; Cottier, H

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1. Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY

The relative frequency of lymphocytes of mice showing varying degrees of surface theta-positivity (circumferential fluorescence) was recorded. Thymocytes were nearly 100 percent theta-positive. The relative proportions of theta-positive cells in Peyer's patches and lymph nodes of newborn mice varied in an almost identical fashion as a function of age. At 4 weeks of age and beyond, the relative numbers of theta-positive cells in Peyer's patches were consistently lower than in lymph nodes. As opposed to the predominance of thymocytes with complete rings, peripheralized thymic (T) lymphocytes showed a broad, age- and organ-dependent range of surface theta-positivity. These results suggest that surface theta may be lost rather rapidly upon emigration of lymphocytes from the thymus and/or that many theta-positive T cells with complete rings disappear within a short time. Variations in the relative proportion of complete rings on mesenteric lymph node cells on Days 1 and 4, were tentatively related to antigen-induced changes in the magnitude of thymocyte emigration. The pattern of surface theta-antigen of a given thymocyte or T cell with its size and DNA synthetic activity was compared. The findings suggest that incomplete ring fluorescence may especially be observed on proliferating lymphoblasts in the outer thymic cortex on their way to acquire the full complement of theta-antigen, and on medullary thymic lymphocytes or T cells having reentered mitotic activity, in response to antigenic and/or other microenvironmental stimuli. Our study yielded data consistent with the hypothesis that the progressive loss of surface theta-antigen does not represent a fully autonomous time-dependent process. Moreover, it is not clear if continued loss of theta-antigen by T cells below a certain threshold would render these cells undetectable by anti-theta sera.

• OSTI ID: 7184709
• Journal Information: Cell. Immunol.; (United States), Journal Name: Cell. Immunol.; (United States) Vol. 13:2; ISSN CLIMB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550500* -- Metabolism
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AGE DEPENDENCE
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
ANTIGENS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY FLUIDS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
IMMUNE REACTIONS
LEUKOCYTES
LYMPHOCYTES
MAMMALS
MICE
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
THYMOCYTES
VERTEBRATES