Abstract
THE T-cell repertoire within an individual is biased to recognize antigen in the context of self major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens. This is thought to depend on a process of positive selection during development. Support for this notion has recently been obtained in experiments using transgenic mice bearing genes for T-cell receptors (TCR) of defined specificity: T cells expressing the introduced genes form the main part of the mature T-cell population only in mice that express the appropriate MHC product1,2. We have now extended these observations using TCR transgenic mice homozygous for the severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mutation which are defective in the rearrangement of both TCR and immunoglobulin genes. In this case mature thymocytes develop only in transgenic mice that express the MHC product which restricts the specificity of the transgenic TCR. This shows that the interaction of the αβ TCR with thymic MHC antigen is essential for the development of mature T cells. Furthermore, the peripheral lymph nodes of such mice are underdeveloped, suggesting that the peripheral expansion of mature T cells may require interactions with other lymphocytes expressing a range of receptors.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Teh, H. S. et al. Nature 335, 229–233 (1988).
Kisielow, P., Teh, H. S., Blüthmann, H. & von Boehmer, H. Nature 335, 730–733 (1988).
Bosma, G. C., Custer, R. P. & Bosma, M. J. Nature 301, 527–530 (1983).
Schuler, W. et al. Cell 46, 963–972 (1986).
Blüthmann, H. et al. Nature 334, 156–159 (1988).
Kisielow, P., Leiserson, W. & von Boehmer, H. J. Immunol. 133, 1,117–1,123 (1984).
Teh, H. S., Kishi, H., Scott, B. & von Boehmer, H. J. exp. Med. 169, 795–806 (1989).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Scott, B., Blüthmann, H., Teh, H. et al. The generation of mature T cells requires interaction of the αβ T-cell receptor with major histocompatibility antigens. Nature 338, 591–593 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/338591a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/338591a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Positive and negative selection in Basel
Nature Immunology (2008)
-
Interface-disrupting amino acids establish specificity between T cell receptors and complexes of major histocompatibility complex and peptide
Nature Immunology (2006)
-
Crucial role of the pre-T-cell receptor α gene in development of ap but not γδ T cells
Nature (1995)
-
Bcl-2 expression promotes B- but not T-lymphoid development in scid mice
Nature (1994)