Common cytokine receptor gamma chain (gammac)-deficient B cells persist in T cell-deficient gammac-mice and respond to a T-independent antigen

Eur J Immunol. 2000 Jun;30(6):1614-22. doi: 10.1002/1521-4141(200006)30:6<1614::AID-IMMU1614>3.0.CO;2-I.

Abstract

Defects in the common cytokine receptor gamma chain (gammac) in man result in X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCIDX1) characterized by an absence of alphabeta T cells, gammadelta T cells and NK cells, with the presence of circulating B cells. Mice made deficient for gammac lack gammadelta T cells and NK cells, but in contrast to SCIDX1 patients have appreciable numbers of alphabeta T cells, while B cells are reduced about tenfold in numbers and disappear with age. Here we show that when gammac- mice are rendered T cell deficient, B cell numbers are still reduced but the age-dependent loss of B cells does not occur. The peripheral B cells which persisted in gammac-/ nude and gammac-/TCRbeta-/- mice were able to respond to mitogen stimulation in vitro and to mount antigen-specific T-independent Ig responses in vivo. These results demonstrate that gammac- B cells are functionally competent and suggest that residual alphabeta T cells are implicated in the B cell loss in gammac mice. The gammac-/nude and gammac-/TCRbeta-/- mice provide new models to dissect the role of gammac-dependent receptors during murine B cell differentiation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens / immunology
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Female
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / immunology*
  • Receptors, Cytokine / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
  • Receptors, Cytokine