A bone marrow-derived stroma cell line, ST2, can support the differentiation of fetal thymocytes from the CD4- CD8- double negative to the CD4+ CD8+ double positive differentiation stage in vitro

J. J. Tong, H. Kishi, T. Matsuda, A. Muraguchi*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

T-cell precursors differentiate into mature T cells predominantly in the thymus. However, it has also been reported that T-cell precursors mature in extrathymic organs such as the liver, bone marrow, or intestines. In order to investigate the nature of the extrathymic microenvironment that supports T- cell maturation, we examined the effect of a bone marrow-derived stroma cell line, ST2, on T-cell precursors by using a reaggregate thymic organ culture (RTOC) system. We found that ST2 cells supported the differentiation of fetal thymocytes at day 14.5 of gestation from a CD4- CD8- double negative (DN) to a CD4+ CD8+ double positive (DP) differentiation stage in a manner similar to that observed in thymus. Anti-interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R) and anti-c-kit antibodies blocked the growth of thymocytes in RTOC with ST2 cells, but did not inhibit the generation of DP thymocytes. These data indicate that a bone marrow-derived stroma cell, ST2, which supports B-cell differentiation, is also able to support T-cell development and may constitute one of the microenvironmental components for extrathymic T-cell development.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)672-678
Number of pages7
JournalImmunology
Volume97
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1999

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

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