Nieburgs A C, Korn J H, Picciano P, Cohen S
Cell Immunol. 1985 Feb;90(2):426-38. doi: 10.1016/0008-8749(85)90207-2.
Two separate cultures of pure, morphologically distinct thymic epithelial cells have been generated and maintained in culture for one year (A.C. Nieburgs et al., Cell. Immunol. 90, 439-450, 1985). Supernatants from one of these cell lines, TECs, were examined for functional activity on thymocytes in vitro. These supernatants contained three distinct intercellular mediators, each capable of modulating thymocyte responses to T-cell mitogens. Enhancement of thymocyte proliferation to suboptimal doses of mitogen was associated with a factor that eluted in the 97,000-Da region on molecular sieve chromatography and was functionally and physicochemically distinct from interleukin-1 and interleukin-2 (IL-1 and IL-2). Suppression of the thymocyte response to optimal doses of mitogen was mediated by a 1000- to 5000-Da factor. These two intercellular components have different susceptibilities to heat treatments and are trypsin insensitive. In addition, thymic epithelial cells produced significantly high levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) which also suppressed thymocyte responses to mitogen, but only at high doses of supernatant. These epithelial cell-derived enhancing and inhibitory effects on thymocytes could play a role in regulating intrathymic events.
已经培养出两种形态上不同的纯胸腺上皮细胞，并在培养中维持了一年（A.C. Nieburgs等人，《细胞免疫学》90，439 - 450，1985）。对其中一种细胞系TECs的上清液进行了体外对胸腺细胞功能活性的检测。这些上清液含有三种不同的细胞间介质，每种介质都能够调节胸腺细胞对T细胞有丝分裂原的反应。胸腺细胞对亚最佳剂量有丝分裂原增殖的增强与一种在分子筛层析中97,000道尔顿区域洗脱的因子有关，该因子在功能和物理化学性质上与白细胞介素 - 1和白细胞介素 - 2（IL - 1和IL - 2）不同。胸腺细胞对最佳剂量有丝分裂原反应的抑制由一种1000至5000道尔顿的因子介导。这两种细胞间成分对热处理有不同的敏感性，且对胰蛋白酶不敏感。此外，胸腺上皮细胞产生了显著高水平的前列腺素E2（PGE2），其也抑制胸腺细胞对有丝分裂原的反应，但仅在高剂量上清液时起作用。这些上皮细胞衍生的对胸腺细胞的增强和抑制作用可能在调节胸腺内事件中发挥作用。
