Existence of a pool of T-lymphocyte colony-forming cells (T-CFC) in human
bone marrow and their place in the differentiation of the T- lymphocyte
lineage
F Triebel, WA Robinson, AR Hayward and PG Goube de Laforest
The existence and characteristics of bone marrow T-cell progenitors have
not yet been established in man. Several pieces of evidence such as the
reconstitution of certain immunodeficiencies by bone marrow graft suggest
that T-cell precursors are present in the bone marrow. We report the growth
of T-cell colonies from bone marrow populations using PHA-stimulated
lymphocyte-conditioned medium containing T-cell growth factor (TCGF).
Rosetting experiments and complement-dependent cytotoxicity assays with
monoclonal antibodies indicate that the bone marrow T colony-forming cells
(T-CFC) are E- OKT 3- and la+, i.e., immature progenitors. The colonies
derived from these cells have the phenotype of mature T cells: E + OKT 3 +
la- with either helper (OKT 4+) and suppressor (OKT 8 +) antigens. These
results suggest that a thymic microenvironment may not be necessary for the
in vitro proliferation and differentiation of the T-cell lineage in adult
humans. These methodologies may permit direct investigation of early
phenomena concerning the T-cell lineage, such as the acquisition of
self-tolerance, the formation of a repertoire of specificities, and the HLA
restriction phenomena that we believe takes place before the thymic
maturation.
Volume 58,
Issue 5,
pp. 911-915,
11/01/1981
Copyright © 1981 by The American Society of Hematology
