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Continued maturation of thymic emigrants in the periphery

Nature Immunology volume 5, pages 418–425 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Developing thymocytes are selected for recognition of molecules encoded by the major histocompatibility complex, purged of self-reactive cells and committed to either the CD4 or CD8 lineage. The 1% of thymocytes that complete these tasks emigrate and join the population of peripheral lymphocytes. Whether T cell maturation is complete at the time of thymic exit has been a subject of debate. Using mice transgenic for green fluorescent protein driven by the recombination activating gene 2 promoter to identify recent thymic emigrants, we now show that T cell differentiation continues post-thymically, with progressive maturation of both surface phenotype and immune function. In addition, the relative contribution of CD4 and CD8 recent thymic emigrants was modulated as they entered the peripheral T cell pool. Thus, T cell maturation and subset contribution are both finalized in the lymphoid periphery.

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Figure 1: GFPhi peripheral T cells from RAG2p-GFP transgenic mice are RTEs.
Figure 2: RTEs undergo phenotypic maturation in the lymphoid periphery.
Figure 3: CD4+ RTEs undergo functional maturation in the lymphoid periphery.
Figure 4: CD8+ RTEs undergo functional maturation in the lymphoid periphery.
Figure 5: CD8+ RTEs respond to antigen in vivo less effectively than do GFP−CD8+ T cells.
Figure 6: GFP expression does not inhibit proliferation of CD4+ or CD8+ T cells.
Figure 7: The CD4:CD8 ratio adjusts as RTEs contribute to the pool of mature peripheral T cells.
Figure 8: Both increased proliferation of CD8+ RTEs and decreased survival of CD4+ RTEs may contribute to the lowering of the CD4:CD8 ratio of RTEs after incorporation into the pool of mature peripheral T cells.

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Acknowledgements

Supported by National Institutes of Health grants AG13078 and AI44130 and a pilot grant from the Nathan Shock Center for Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging (P.J.F.), F32 CA84736 (T.E.B.) and T32 AI07411 (C.J.C.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195-7650, Washington, USA

    Tamar E Boursalian, Jonathan Golob, David M Soper, Cristine J Cooper & Pamela J Fink

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  1. Tamar E Boursalian
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Correspondence to Pamela J Fink.

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Boursalian, T., Golob, J., Soper, D. et al. Continued maturation of thymic emigrants in the periphery. Nat Immunol 5, 418–425 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni1049

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