TY - JOUR
T1 - Neonates support lymphopenia-induced proliferation
AU - Min, Booki
AU - McHugh, Rebecca
AU - Sempowski, Gregory D.
AU - Mackall, Crystal
AU - Foucras, Gilles
AU - Paul, William E.
PY - 2003/1/1
Y1 - 2003/1/1
N2 - T cells expand without intentional antigen stimulation when transferred into adult lymphopenic environments. In this study, we show that the physiologic lymphopenic environment existing in neonatal mice also supports CD4 T cell proliferation. Strikingly, naive CD4 T cells that proliferate within neonates acquire the phenotypic and functional characteristics of memory cells. Such proliferation is inhibited by the presence of both memory and naive CD4 T cells, is enhanced by 3-day thymectomy, is independent of IL-7, and requires a class II MHC-TCR interaction and a CD28-mediated signal. CD44bright CD4 T cells in neonates have a wide repertoire as judged by the distribution of Vβ expression. Thus, lymphopenia-induced T cell proliferation is a physiologic process that occurs during the early postnatal period.
AB - T cells expand without intentional antigen stimulation when transferred into adult lymphopenic environments. In this study, we show that the physiologic lymphopenic environment existing in neonatal mice also supports CD4 T cell proliferation. Strikingly, naive CD4 T cells that proliferate within neonates acquire the phenotypic and functional characteristics of memory cells. Such proliferation is inhibited by the presence of both memory and naive CD4 T cells, is enhanced by 3-day thymectomy, is independent of IL-7, and requires a class II MHC-TCR interaction and a CD28-mediated signal. CD44bright CD4 T cells in neonates have a wide repertoire as judged by the distribution of Vβ expression. Thus, lymphopenia-induced T cell proliferation is a physiologic process that occurs during the early postnatal period.
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U2 - 10.1016/S1074-7613(02)00508-3
DO - 10.1016/S1074-7613(02)00508-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 12530982
AN - SCOPUS:0037243278
SN - 1074-7613
VL - 18
SP - 131
EP - 140
JO - Immunity
JF - Immunity
IS - 1
ER -