DEVELOPMENTAL ARREST OF NK1.1(-CELL ANTIGEN RECEPTOR (TCR)-ALPHA() T)BETA(+) T-CELLS AND EXPANSION OF NK1.1(+) TCR-GAMMA/DELTA(+) T-CELL DEVELOPMENT IN CD3-ZETA-DEFICIENT MICE/
H. Arase et al., DEVELOPMENTAL ARREST OF NK1.1(-CELL ANTIGEN RECEPTOR (TCR)-ALPHA() T)BETA(+) T-CELLS AND EXPANSION OF NK1.1(+) TCR-GAMMA/DELTA(+) T-CELL DEVELOPMENT IN CD3-ZETA-DEFICIENT MICE/, The Journal of experimental medicine, 182(3), 1995, pp. 891-895
The relationship between the structure of the T cell antigen receptor
(TCR)-CD3 complex and development of NK1.1(+) T cells was investigated
. The TCR complex of freshly isolated NK1.1(+) TCR-alpha/beta(+) thymo
cytes contained CD3 zeta homodimers and CD3 zeta-FcR gamma heterodimer
s, whereas that of the majority of NK1.1(-) T cells did not contain Fc
R gamma. The function of CD3 zeta and FcR gamma in the development of
NK1.1(+) T cells was determined by analyzing CD3 zeta- and FcR gamma-d
eficient mice. The NK1.1(+) T cells from wild-type and CD3 zeta-defici
ent mice had equal levels of CD3 expression. However, the development
of NK1.1(+) TCR-alpha/beta(+) T cells was almost completely disrupted
in thymus and spleen in CD3 zeta-deficient mice, whereas no alteration
was observed in FcR gamma-deficient mice. In contrast, the number of
novel NK1.1(+) TCR-gamma/delta(+) thymocytes expressing a surface phen
otype similar to NK1.1(+) TCR-alpha/beta(+) thymocytes increased appro
ximately six times in CD3 zeta-deficient mice. These findings establis
h the distinct roles of the CD3 zeta chain in the development of the f
ollowing different thymic T cell compartments: NK1.1(-) TCR(+), NK1.1(
+) TCR-alpha/beta(+), and NK1.1(+) TCR-gamma/delta(+) thymocytes, whic
h cannot be replaced by CD3 eta or FcR gamma chains.