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Thymic epithelium tolerizes for histocompatibility antigens.
J Salaün1, A Bandeira, I Khazaal
1Instit d'Embryologie cellulaire et moléculaire du CNRS, College de France, Nogent-sur-Marne.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|March 23, 1990
Summary
Thymic epithelium alone can induce immune tolerance to foreign tissues. This study shows that even with different genetic backgrounds, the thymus
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Transplantation Biology
- T cell development
Background:
- The thymus is crucial for T cell development and immune tolerance.
- The specific role of thymic epithelium versus hematopoietic cells in establishing tolerance is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether thymic epithelium alone can induce immune tolerance.
- To determine the contribution of thymic epithelium to establishing self-recognition by T cells.
Main Methods:
- A murine chimeric system was established using embryonic thymic rudiments from C3H (H-2k) donors grafted onto newborn athymic BALB/c (H-2d) mice.
- Chimeras were assessed for T cell numbers, function, and acceptance of skin grafts from different genetic backgrounds.
Main Results:
- Chimeras developed normal T cell populations and function.
- These chimeras rejected third-party skin grafts but accepted grafts syngeneic to the thymic epithelium.
- In vitro assays did not consistently predict in vivo tolerance.
Conclusions:
- Pure thymic epithelium is sufficient to induce tolerance to histocompatibility antigens.
- This tolerance is established independently of the host's hematopoietic cells during T cell differentiation.