S. Cardell et al., CD1-RESTRICTED CD4(-CELLS IN MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX CLASS II-DEFICIENT MICE() T), The Journal of experimental medicine, 182(4), 1995, pp. 993-1004
Rather unexpectedly, major histocompatibility complex class II-deficie
nt mice have a significant population of peripheral CD4(+) T lymphocyt
es. We have investigated these cells at the population and clonal leve
ls. CD4(+) T lymphocytes from class II-deficient animals are thymicall
y derived, appear early in ontogeny, exhibit the phenotype of resting
memory cells, are potentially functional by several criteria, and have
a diverse T cell receptor repertoire. They do not include substantial
ly elevated numbers of NK1.1(+) cells. Hybridomas derived after polycl
onal stimulation of the CD4(+) lymphocytes from class II-deficient ani
mals include a subset with an unusual reactivity pattern, responding t
o splenocytes from many mouse strains including the strain of origin.
Most members of this subset recognize the major histocompatibility com
plex class Ib molecule CD1; their heterogenous reactivities and T cell
receptor usage further suggest the involvement of peptides and/or hig
hly variable posttranslational modifications.