Abstract
Successful expression of the TCR β-chain gene is a multistep process that involves: 1) initial transcription of multiple, unrearranged gene segments, 2) rearrangement of V, D, and J gene segments to form a complete β-chain gene, and 3) transcription of the fully rearranged β gene. All of these events have been shown to occur in the thymus, where the majority of T cell development takes place; however, the extent to which any of these events may occur prethymically has not been established. To examine prethymic TCR-β gene expression, RNA was isolated from a precursor T cell-enriched population (Thy 1(low) CD3-) of C58/J mouse bone marrow, and analyzed by reverse transcriptase-PCR. A transcript containing TCR-β constant (C) region sequences but not variable (V) region sequences was amplified, suggesting that an unrearranged TCR-β gene locus is transcriptionally active in this bone marrow population. The same product was detected in Thy 1+ CD3- bone marrow cells from nude mice, indicating that the thymic microenvironment is not necessary for initiation of TCR-β gene transcription. This Cβ transcript is not confined to pre-B cells, as it was identified in RNA isolated from Thy 1(low) CD3- B220- bone marrow cells. Germline Vβ transcripts were also detected in RNA from this bone marrow population. Furthermore, Sca-1+ Lin- and Sca-1+ Lin+ bone marrow populations from both C58/J mice and nude mice also expressed the Cβ transcript. DNA-PCR analyses with Dββ-Jβ primer sets revealed that partial rearrangement of the β locus had occurred in all bone marrow populations analyzed. These data suggest that both transcription and partial rearrangement of the TCR-β locus can initiate in bone marrow cells of adult mice, before exposure of these cells to the thymus.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 3888-3901 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Journal of Immunology |
| Volume | 154 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| State | Published - 1995 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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- Immunology
Cite this
Transcription of the TCR-β locus initiates in adult murine bone marrow. / Soloff, R. S.; Wang, T. G.; Lybarger, Lonnie; Dempsey, D.; Chervenak, R.
In: Journal of Immunology, Vol. 154, No. 8, 1995, p. 3888-3901.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Transcription of the TCR-β locus initiates in adult murine bone marrow
AU - Soloff, R. S.
AU - Wang, T. G.
AU - Lybarger, Lonnie
AU - Dempsey, D.
AU - Chervenak, R.
PY - 1995
Y1 - 1995
N2 - Successful expression of the TCR β-chain gene is a multistep process that involves: 1) initial transcription of multiple, unrearranged gene segments, 2) rearrangement of V, D, and J gene segments to form a complete β-chain gene, and 3) transcription of the fully rearranged β gene. All of these events have been shown to occur in the thymus, where the majority of T cell development takes place; however, the extent to which any of these events may occur prethymically has not been established. To examine prethymic TCR-β gene expression, RNA was isolated from a precursor T cell-enriched population (Thy 1(low) CD3-) of C58/J mouse bone marrow, and analyzed by reverse transcriptase-PCR. A transcript containing TCR-β constant (C) region sequences but not variable (V) region sequences was amplified, suggesting that an unrearranged TCR-β gene locus is transcriptionally active in this bone marrow population. The same product was detected in Thy 1+ CD3- bone marrow cells from nude mice, indicating that the thymic microenvironment is not necessary for initiation of TCR-β gene transcription. This Cβ transcript is not confined to pre-B cells, as it was identified in RNA isolated from Thy 1(low) CD3- B220- bone marrow cells. Germline Vβ transcripts were also detected in RNA from this bone marrow population. Furthermore, Sca-1+ Lin- and Sca-1+ Lin+ bone marrow populations from both C58/J mice and nude mice also expressed the Cβ transcript. DNA-PCR analyses with Dββ-Jβ primer sets revealed that partial rearrangement of the β locus had occurred in all bone marrow populations analyzed. These data suggest that both transcription and partial rearrangement of the TCR-β locus can initiate in bone marrow cells of adult mice, before exposure of these cells to the thymus.
AB - Successful expression of the TCR β-chain gene is a multistep process that involves: 1) initial transcription of multiple, unrearranged gene segments, 2) rearrangement of V, D, and J gene segments to form a complete β-chain gene, and 3) transcription of the fully rearranged β gene. All of these events have been shown to occur in the thymus, where the majority of T cell development takes place; however, the extent to which any of these events may occur prethymically has not been established. To examine prethymic TCR-β gene expression, RNA was isolated from a precursor T cell-enriched population (Thy 1(low) CD3-) of C58/J mouse bone marrow, and analyzed by reverse transcriptase-PCR. A transcript containing TCR-β constant (C) region sequences but not variable (V) region sequences was amplified, suggesting that an unrearranged TCR-β gene locus is transcriptionally active in this bone marrow population. The same product was detected in Thy 1+ CD3- bone marrow cells from nude mice, indicating that the thymic microenvironment is not necessary for initiation of TCR-β gene transcription. This Cβ transcript is not confined to pre-B cells, as it was identified in RNA isolated from Thy 1(low) CD3- B220- bone marrow cells. Germline Vβ transcripts were also detected in RNA from this bone marrow population. Furthermore, Sca-1+ Lin- and Sca-1+ Lin+ bone marrow populations from both C58/J mice and nude mice also expressed the Cβ transcript. DNA-PCR analyses with Dββ-Jβ primer sets revealed that partial rearrangement of the β locus had occurred in all bone marrow populations analyzed. These data suggest that both transcription and partial rearrangement of the TCR-β locus can initiate in bone marrow cells of adult mice, before exposure of these cells to the thymus.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0028986908&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0028986908&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 7706728
AN - SCOPUS:0028986908
VL - 154
SP - 3888
EP - 3901
JO - Journal of Immunology
JF - Journal of Immunology
SN - 0022-1767
IS - 8
ER -