We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Reduced CD4 and CD8 Expression in Human Thymuses Treated with Soluble CD4.
- Authors
Zepp, F.; Ehlert, K.; Othmer, M.
- Abstract
Recent data suggest that accessory molecules like CD4 and CD8 act as co-receptors in intrathymic T-cell development. Soluble CD4 (sCD4) molecules offer a novel experimental approach to investigate the relevance of CD4 interaction with ils putative intrathymic receptor for T-cell maturation. We attempted to inhibit binding of surface CD4 on thymocytes to its intrathymic receptor competitively by introduction of human sCD4 into human thymus tissue cultures. Our results demonstrate that sCD4, while not affecting peripheral T-cell responses as shown in control experiments, significantly affects intrathymic development of T lymphocytes. Immature CD4CD8 double positive (DP) thymocytes responded with reduced expression of both CD4 and CD8 molecules. This phenomenon could be followed up to the stage of single positive (SP) thymocytes: density of CD4 molecules on CD4 SP thymocytes and, even more interestingly, CD8 expression on CD8 SP cells, were reduced, indicating that the effect observed in immature DP thymocytes persists during their further development. Beyond that, analysis of T-cell receptor (TCR) expression in the low density CD4CD8 DP population revealed a slight decrease of αβ- TCR surface expression, suggesting a possible role of CD4 engagement in the generation of TCR in man. Since sCD4 is considered a therapeutical agent in HIV infectiotis, these findings are not only of basic but also of clinical interest.
- Subjects
CULTURES (Biology); ENDOCRINE glands; LYMPHOID tissue; TISSUE culture; LEUCOCYTES; CD4 antigen
- Publication
Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, 1991, Vol 34, Issue 2, p185
- ISSN
0300-9475
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1365-3083.1991.tb01536.x