TY - JOUR
T1 - Physical and functional association of CD45 and CD3-TCR complex on CD1+ human thymocytes. Evidence that the engagement of CD45 molecules can prevent CD1+ thymocytes from apoptosis
AU - Poggi, A.
AU - Pella, N.
AU - Cantoni, C.
AU - Zocchi, M. R.
AU - Moretta, L.
PY - 1996
Y1 - 1996
N2 - In this study the effects of CD45 engagement on CD3-TCR-driven stimulation of CD1+ human immature thymocytes have been analyzed. Simultaneous cross-linking of CD45 and CD3 antigens on highly purified CD1+ thymocytes reduced the number of cells undergoing apoptosis after 16 h of in vitro culture. This cell population might represent immature thymocytes committed in vivo to die by programmed cell death (PCD). CD45 engagement could also increase the number of cycling CD1+ thymocytes; of note, the large majority (> 95%) of dividing cells expressed the CD1 molecule at the cell surface, indicating that proliferating cells were actually represented by immature thymocytes. These data suggest that the CD45 molecule might play a role in the rescue of immature thymocytes from PCD during differentiation. Along this line, we found that activation of CD1+ thymocytes via the CD3-TCR complex could be enhanced by CD45, both in terms of transcription and surface expression of IL-2R. These effects might be explained by the finding that the CD45 molecule (but not its isoforms CD45RO and RA) was physically associated with the CD3-TCR complex at the cell surface of CD1+ human thymocytes, as shown by co-precipitation and co-capping experiments. Finally, cross-linking of CD45 and CD3 antigens led to the expansion of CD3+ thymocytes co-expressing CD4 and CD8, indicating that simultaneous engagement of CD45 and CD3 molecules can block CD1+ cells at the double-positive (CD3+CD4+CD8+) differentiation stage. On the other hand, stimulation through CD3 resulted in the expansion of thymocytes showing a mature phenotype (CD3+CD4+ or CD3+CD8+). Altogether, these findings suggest that the CD45 molecule is involved both in early activation and in the regulation of CD1+ thymocyte differentiation.
AB - In this study the effects of CD45 engagement on CD3-TCR-driven stimulation of CD1+ human immature thymocytes have been analyzed. Simultaneous cross-linking of CD45 and CD3 antigens on highly purified CD1+ thymocytes reduced the number of cells undergoing apoptosis after 16 h of in vitro culture. This cell population might represent immature thymocytes committed in vivo to die by programmed cell death (PCD). CD45 engagement could also increase the number of cycling CD1+ thymocytes; of note, the large majority (> 95%) of dividing cells expressed the CD1 molecule at the cell surface, indicating that proliferating cells were actually represented by immature thymocytes. These data suggest that the CD45 molecule might play a role in the rescue of immature thymocytes from PCD during differentiation. Along this line, we found that activation of CD1+ thymocytes via the CD3-TCR complex could be enhanced by CD45, both in terms of transcription and surface expression of IL-2R. These effects might be explained by the finding that the CD45 molecule (but not its isoforms CD45RO and RA) was physically associated with the CD3-TCR complex at the cell surface of CD1+ human thymocytes, as shown by co-precipitation and co-capping experiments. Finally, cross-linking of CD45 and CD3 antigens led to the expansion of CD3+ thymocytes co-expressing CD4 and CD8, indicating that simultaneous engagement of CD45 and CD3 molecules can block CD1+ cells at the double-positive (CD3+CD4+CD8+) differentiation stage. On the other hand, stimulation through CD3 resulted in the expansion of thymocytes showing a mature phenotype (CD3+CD4+ or CD3+CD8+). Altogether, these findings suggest that the CD45 molecule is involved both in early activation and in the regulation of CD1+ thymocyte differentiation.
KW - Apoptosis
KW - CD1
KW - CD45
KW - Thymocytes
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U2 - 10.1093/intimm/8.12.1947
DO - 10.1093/intimm/8.12.1947
M3 - Article
C2 - 8982779
AN - SCOPUS:0030445887
VL - 8
SP - 1947
EP - 1953
JO - International Immunology
JF - International Immunology
SN - 0953-8178
IS - 12
ER -