Two gut intraepithelial CD8 super(+) lymphocyte populations with different T cell receptors: A role for the gut epithelium in T cell differentiation

• Published in: The Journal of experimental medicine Vol. 173; no. 2; pp. 471 - 481
• Main Authors: Guy-Grand, D, Cerf-Bensussan, N, Malissen, B, Malassis-Seris, M, Briottet, C, Vassalli, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.1991
• ISSN: 0022-1007

Mouse gut intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) consist mainly (90%) of two populations of CD8 super(+) T cells. One bears heterodimeric alpha / beta CD8 chains (Lyt-2 super(+), Lyt-3 super(+)), a T cell receptor (TCR) made of alpha / beta chains, and is Thy-1 super(+); it represents the progeny of T blasts elicited in Peyer's patches by antigenic stimulation. The other bears homodimeric alpha / alpha CD8 super(+) chains, contains no beta chain mRNA, and is mostly Thy-1 super(-) and TCR- gamma / delta super(+) or - alpha / beta super(+); it is thymo-independent and does not require antigenic stimulation. We propose that the gut epithelium (an endoderm derivative, as the thymic epithelium) has an inductive property, attracting progenitors of bone marrow origin, and triggering their TCR rearrangement and alpha / alpha CD8 chains expression, thus giving rise to a T cell population that appears to belong to the same lineage as gamma / delta thymocytes and to recognize an antigenic repertoire different from that alpha / beta CD8 super(+) IEL.