Susceptibility of different subsets of immature thymocytes to apoptosis

In the present study the susceptibility of different subsets of immature rat thymocytes to undergo apoptosis was examined. Unfractionated rat thymocytes were negatively enriched into immature double positive (CD4+ CD8+), immature single positive (CD4- CD8+ CD3-) and triple negative (CD4- CD8- CD3-) thymocytes. These enriched subsets of immature thymocytes were then exposed to various apoptotic stimuli such as dexamethasone, etoposide and thapsigargin which readily induced apoptosis in unfractionated rat thymocytes. We found that the double positive thymocytes and their precursor cells, i.e. the single positive immature thymocytes, were equally sensitive to apoptosis after treatment with the apoptotic stimuli. In sharp contrast, the early migrants or precursor-containing thymocytes which are triple negative have a lower spontaneous apoptosis rate and were relatively resistant to all the apoptotic stimuli. These findings showed a breakpoint in thymocyte sensitivity to apoptosis which occurs after the onset of CD8 expression, suggesting that susceptibility of thymocytes to apoptosis is developmentally regulated.