Biomaterial Database

Differentiation of human single-positive fetal thymocytes in vitro into IL-4- and/or IFN-gamma-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. 1999

E Yamaguchi, and J de Vries, and H Yssel

Department of Human Immunology, DNAX Research Institute, CA 94304, USA.

In this study we have investigated the capacity of human fetal thymocytes to differentiate in vitro into subsets of T cells with polarized Th1 or Th2 cytokine profiles. Stimulation of freshly isolated human fetal thymocytes with anti-CD3 mAb, cross-linked onto CD32,CD58,CD80-expressing mouse fibroblasts and subsequent culture in the presence of exogenous rIL-2 for 6 days, induced the production of both IL-4 and IFN-gamma, which was mainly produced by CD4+ single-positive (SP) and CD8+ SP cells respectively. Addition of rIL-4 during priming augmented IL-4 production in cultures of human fetal thymocytes, which was mainly due to an increased production of IL-4 by CD8SP cells. In contrast, addition of IL-4 to the cultures only slightly enhanced IL-4 production and had little effect on frequencies of IL-4-producing CD4SP cells. Both CD4SP and CD8SP cells produced IL-5, IL-10 and IL-13 at comparable levels, following priming in the presence of rIL-4. Priming in the presence of rIL-12 strongly enhanced the production of IFN-gamma in both CD4SP and CD8SP cells. No correlation between expression of CD27, CD30 and CD60, and a particular cytokine profile of differentiated thymocytes could be demonstrated. Together, these results demonstrate the full capacity of fetal human thymocytes to differentiate into cytokine-producing T cells in a priming milieu with appropriate stimulatory molecules and exogenous cytokines. In addition, CD4SP thymocytes rapidly differentiate into polarized Th2 cells following stimulation in vitro in the absence of exogenous rIL-4.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007371	Interferon-gamma	The major interferon produced by mitogenically or antigenically stimulated LYMPHOCYTES. It is structurally different from TYPE I INTERFERON and its major activity is immunoregulation. It has been implicated in the expression of CLASS II HISTOCOMPATIBILITY ANTIGENS in cells that do not normally produce them, leading to AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES.	Interferon Type II,Interferon, Immune,gamma-Interferon,Interferon, gamma,Type II Interferon,Immune Interferon,Interferon, Type II
D008213	Lymphocyte Activation	Morphologic alteration of small B LYMPHOCYTES or T LYMPHOCYTES in culture into large blast-like cells able to synthesize DNA and RNA and to divide mitotically. It is induced by INTERLEUKINS; MITOGENS such as PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININS, and by specific ANTIGENS. It may also occur in vivo as in GRAFT REJECTION.	Blast Transformation,Blastogenesis,Lymphoblast Transformation,Lymphocyte Stimulation,Lymphocyte Transformation,Transformation, Blast,Transformation, Lymphoblast,Transformation, Lymphocyte,Activation, Lymphocyte,Stimulation, Lymphocyte
D002454	Cell Differentiation	Progressive restriction of the developmental potential and increasing specialization of function that leads to the formation of specialized cells, tissues, and organs.	Differentiation, Cell,Cell Differentiations,Differentiations, Cell
D005333	Fetus	The unborn young of a viviparous mammal, in the postembryonic period, after the major structures have been outlined. In humans, the unborn young from the end of the eighth week after CONCEPTION until BIRTH, as distinguished from the earlier EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN.	Fetal Structures,Fetal Tissue,Fetuses,Mummified Fetus,Retained Fetus,Fetal Structure,Fetal Tissues,Fetus, Mummified,Fetus, Retained,Structure, Fetal,Structures, Fetal,Tissue, Fetal,Tissues, Fetal
D005434	Flow Cytometry	Technique using an instrument system for making, processing, and displaying one or more measurements on individual cells obtained from a cell suspension. Cells are usually stained with one or more fluorescent dyes specific to cell components of interest, e.g., DNA, and fluorescence of each cell is measured as it rapidly transverses the excitation beam (laser or mercury arc lamp). Fluorescence provides a quantitative measure of various biochemical and biophysical properties of the cell, as well as a basis for cell sorting. Other measurable optical parameters include light absorption and light scattering, the latter being applicable to the measurement of cell size, shape, density, granularity, and stain uptake.	Cytofluorometry, Flow,Cytometry, Flow,Flow Microfluorimetry,Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting,Microfluorometry, Flow,Cell Sorting, Fluorescence-Activated,Cell Sortings, Fluorescence-Activated,Cytofluorometries, Flow,Cytometries, Flow,Flow Cytofluorometries,Flow Cytofluorometry,Flow Cytometries,Flow Microfluorometries,Flow Microfluorometry,Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting,Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sortings,Microfluorimetry, Flow,Microfluorometries, Flow,Sorting, Fluorescence-Activated Cell,Sortings, Fluorescence-Activated Cell
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000954	Antigens, Surface	Antigens on surfaces of cells, including infectious or foreign cells or viruses. They are usually protein-containing groups on cell membranes or walls and may be isolated.	Cell Surface Antigens,Surface Antigens,Surface Markers, Immunological,Cell Surface Antigen,Immunologic Surface Markers,Markers, Immunological Surface,Surface Antigen,Surface Markers, Immunologic,Antigen, Cell Surface,Antigen, Surface,Antigens, Cell Surface,Immunological Surface Markers,Markers, Immunologic Surface,Surface Antigen, Cell,Surface Antigens, Cell
D013950	Thymus Gland	A single, unpaired primary lymphoid organ situated in the MEDIASTINUM, extending superiorly into the neck to the lower edge of the THYROID GLAND and inferiorly to the fourth costal cartilage. It is necessary for normal development of immunologic function early in life. By puberty, it begins to involute and much of the tissue is replaced by fat.	Thymus,Gland, Thymus,Glands, Thymus,Thymus Glands
D015496	CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes	A critical subpopulation of T-lymphocytes involved in the induction of most immunological functions. The HIV virus has selective tropism for the T4 cell which expresses the CD4 phenotypic marker, a receptor for HIV. In fact, the key element in the profound immunosuppression seen in HIV infection is the depletion of this subset of T-lymphocytes.	T4 Cells,T4 Lymphocytes,CD4-Positive Lymphocytes,CD4 Positive T Lymphocytes,CD4-Positive Lymphocyte,CD4-Positive T-Lymphocyte,Lymphocyte, CD4-Positive,Lymphocytes, CD4-Positive,T-Lymphocyte, CD4-Positive,T-Lymphocytes, CD4-Positive,T4 Cell,T4 Lymphocyte