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Regulation of early chicken thymocyte proliferation by transforming growth factor-beta from thymic stromal cells and
1Laboratory of Veterinary Immunology, Department of Veterinary Science, College of Agriculture, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai, 599-8531, Osaka, Japan.
Abstract:
We examined expression of TGF-betas in chicken thymic stromal cells and thymocytes and roles of TGF-betas in thymocyte development within the thymus. Thymic stromal cells expressed TGF-beta 2 and 3 genes but not TGF-beta 4 gene. Thymocytes showed expressions of TGF-beta 2, 3 and 4 genes and each TGF-beta gene was expressed more strongly in CD3- than CD3+ thymocytes. When anti-TGF-beta antibody was added with supernatants of stromal cells into thymocyte culture, only proliferative activity of CD3- thymocytes was enhanced and the cells in S and G2/M compartments of cell cycle increased. These results suggest that TGF-beta which is expressed in the thymus may regulate the ability of immature thymocytes to progress through the cell cycle and to differentiate to CD3+ thymocytes.