International Immunology, Vol. 15, No. 5, pp. 557-564,
May 2003
© 2003 Japanese Society for Immunology
FEATURED ARTICLE OF THE MONTH |
Glia maturation factor produced by thymic epithelial cells plays a role in T cell differentiation in the thymic microenvironment
1 Department of Pathology and Immunology, Aging and Developmental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Graduate School, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyou-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan 2 Mistubishi Kasei Institute of Life Sciences, Tokyo 194-8511, Japan 3 Department of Bacterial and Blood Products, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
Correspondence to: K. Hirokawa; E-mail: hirokawa.pth2{at}med.tmd.ac.jp
Transmitting editor: S. Koyasu
In order to determine molecules on thymic epithelial cells which play an important role in the process of T cell differentiation, mAb recognizing thymic epithelial cells were made using stromal cells of the embryonic thymus at 15-gestation date. Among many mAb, a specific one was selected in terms of its inhibition of T cell development in an in vitro culture system of the embryonic thymus. cDNA of the protein recognized by one of the mAb was obtained by a panning method. Sequence analysis revealed that the protein was identical to glia maturation factor (GMF)-ß. Northern blot analysis confirmed the expression of GMF-ß mRNA in the thymus and brain. Furthermore, immunoblotting analysis identified the production of GMF-ß protein in the thymus, the brain and a thymic epithelial cell line. GMF-ß protein prepared by a glutathione-S-transferase gene fusion system greatly influenced T cell development in the in vitro culture system of the embryonic thymus in favor of a significant increase of CD4+ T cells with expression of TCRß. These data taken together suggest that GMF-ß protein is produced by thymic epithelial cells and plays a role in T cell development in favor of CD4+ T cells.
Keywords: glia maturation factor, stromal cells, T cells, thymus