Journal of Experimental Medicine, Vol 176, 459-468, Copyright © 1992 by Rockefeller University Press

ARTICLES

T cell receptor-mediated recognition of self-ligand induces signaling in immature thymocytes before negative selection

R Abe, Y Ishida, K Yui, M Katsumata and TM Chused
Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.

Shaping of the T cell repertoire by selection during intrathymic maturation involves T cell receptor (TCR) recognition of major histocompatibility complex/self-antigen complexes. In this communication, we studied the ability of minor lymphocyte stimulating (Mls) determinants to act as self-tolerogens in the selection of the T cell repertoire. We demonstrate that unprimed T cells from normal as well as TCR transgenic mice form Mls-specific conjugates with antigen- presenting cells, and that this TCR-ligand interaction leads to elevation of intercellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i). Peripheral T cells from TCR transgenic mice expressing receptors specific for self-Mls antigen show no reactivities to Mlsa. However, a proportion of immature thymocytes from these mice show specific binding and strong [Ca2+]i elevation in response to self-antigen-presenting cells, although these thymocytes do not proliferate. This self-reactivity of thymocytes is inhibited by antibodies specific for TCR, CD4, CD8, class II molecules, lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1, and intercellular adhesion molecule 1. These results demonstrate for the first time that before thymic negative selection, immature T cells can specifically interact with cells bearing self-antigen, and suggest that the resulting TCR- dependent signal transduction events provide a basis for negative selection of self-reactive T cells.
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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Freedman, B. D., Liu, Q.-H., Somersan, S., Kotlikoff, M. I., Punt, J. A. (1999). Receptor Avidity and Costimulation Specify the Intracellular Ca2+ Signaling Pattern in Cd4+Cd8+ Thymocytes. JEM 190: 943-952 [Abstract] [Full Text]  

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