Kisielow P, Teh H S, Blüthmann H, von Boehmer H
Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland.
Nature. 1988 Oct 20;335(6192):730-3. doi: 10.1038/335730a0.
Thymus-derived lymphocytes (T cells) recognize antigen in the context of class I or class II molecules encoded by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) by virtue of the heterodimeric alpha beta T-cell receptor (TCR). CD4 and CD8 molecules expressed on the surface of T cells bind to nonpolymorphic portions of class II and class I MHC molecules and assist the TCR in binding and possibly in signalling. The analysis of T-cell development in TCR transgenic mice has shown that the CD4/CD8 phenotype of T cells is determined by the interaction of the alpha beta TCR expressed on immature CD4+8+ thymocytes with polymorphic domains of thymic MHC molecules in the absence of nominal antigen. Here we provide direct evidence that positive selection of antigen-specific, class I MHC-restricted CD4-8+ T cells in the thymus requires the specific interaction of the alpha beta TCR with the restricting class I MHC molecule.
胸腺来源的淋巴细胞（T细胞）凭借异二聚体αβT细胞受体（TCR），在主要组织相容性复合体（MHC）编码的I类或II类分子的背景下识别抗原。T细胞表面表达的CD4和CD8分子与II类和I类MHC分子的非多态性部分结合，并协助TCR结合以及可能进行信号传导。对TCR转基因小鼠中T细胞发育的分析表明，在没有名义抗原的情况下，T细胞的CD4/CD8表型由未成熟CD4+8+胸腺细胞上表达的αβTCR与胸腺MHC分子的多态结构域之间的相互作用决定。在此，我们提供了直接证据，表明胸腺中抗原特异性、I类MHC限制性CD4-8+T细胞的阳性选择需要αβTCR与限制性I类MHC分子的特异性相互作用。
