TY - JOUR
T1 - Human lymphocytes bearing T cell receptor γ/δ are phenotypically diverse and evenly distributed throughout the lymphoid system
AU - Groh, V.
AU - Porcelli, S.
AU - Fabii, M.
AU - Lanier, L. L.
AU - Picker, L. J.
AU - Anderson, T.
AU - Warnke, R. A.
AU - Bhan, A. K.
AU - Strominger, J. L.
AU - Brenner, M. B.
PY - 1989
Y1 - 1989
N2 - A direct quantitative and phenotypic cytofluorographic analysis of TCR-γ/δ+ lymphocytes as well as an immunohistologic study of their tissue distribution and microanatomy was made possible by the availability of two mAbs (anti-TCR-δ1 and anti-CγM1) specific for framework determinants on human TCR γ and δ chains, respectively. TCR-γ/δ+ lymphocytes, ranging between >0.5 and 16% of CD3+ cells, were found in fetal and postnatal thymus, fetal and adult peripheral lymphoid organs, and adult peripheral blood. While TCR-γ/δ+ lymphocytes comprised a small subpopulation of T cells (mean, ~4%) occasionally >10-16% of CD3+ cells expressed TCR-γ/δ. Virtually all TCR-γ/δ+ thymocytes/lymphocytes expressed CD7, CD2, and CD5 but were heterogeneous with respect to their expression of CD1, CD4, CD8, CD28, CD11b, CD16, and Leu-7. Human TCR-γ/δ+ cells populate both organized lymphoid tissues (thymus, tonsil, lymphnode, and spleen) as well as the gut- and skin-associated lymphoid systems at similar frequencies without obvious tropism for epithelial microenvironments. TCR-γ/δ+ lymphocytes tend to be located within a given organ wherever TCR-α/β+ lymphocytes are found. This study shows that TCR-γ/δ+ lymphocytes constitute a small but numerically important, phenotypically diverse T cell population distributed throughout the body. These results support the concept that TCR-γ/δ+ cells comprise a distinct, functionally heterogeneous, mature T cell sublineage that may substantially broaden the T cell repertoire at all immunologically relevant sites.
AB - A direct quantitative and phenotypic cytofluorographic analysis of TCR-γ/δ+ lymphocytes as well as an immunohistologic study of their tissue distribution and microanatomy was made possible by the availability of two mAbs (anti-TCR-δ1 and anti-CγM1) specific for framework determinants on human TCR γ and δ chains, respectively. TCR-γ/δ+ lymphocytes, ranging between >0.5 and 16% of CD3+ cells, were found in fetal and postnatal thymus, fetal and adult peripheral lymphoid organs, and adult peripheral blood. While TCR-γ/δ+ lymphocytes comprised a small subpopulation of T cells (mean, ~4%) occasionally >10-16% of CD3+ cells expressed TCR-γ/δ. Virtually all TCR-γ/δ+ thymocytes/lymphocytes expressed CD7, CD2, and CD5 but were heterogeneous with respect to their expression of CD1, CD4, CD8, CD28, CD11b, CD16, and Leu-7. Human TCR-γ/δ+ cells populate both organized lymphoid tissues (thymus, tonsil, lymphnode, and spleen) as well as the gut- and skin-associated lymphoid systems at similar frequencies without obvious tropism for epithelial microenvironments. TCR-γ/δ+ lymphocytes tend to be located within a given organ wherever TCR-α/β+ lymphocytes are found. This study shows that TCR-γ/δ+ lymphocytes constitute a small but numerically important, phenotypically diverse T cell population distributed throughout the body. These results support the concept that TCR-γ/δ+ cells comprise a distinct, functionally heterogeneous, mature T cell sublineage that may substantially broaden the T cell repertoire at all immunologically relevant sites.
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U2 - 10.1084/jem.169.4.1277
DO - 10.1084/jem.169.4.1277
M3 - Article
C2 - 2564416
AN - SCOPUS:0024592554
SN - 0022-1007
VL - 169
SP - 1277
EP - 1294
JO - Journal of Experimental Medicine
JF - Journal of Experimental Medicine
IS - 4
ER -