Intact and subcellular form of thymocytes of rats are exceptionally immunogenic in mice for inducing anti-Thy-1 T cell-independent class 2 antibody responses.

Results of the present study show that the primary anti-Thy-1.1 antibody response to rat antigen in Thy-1.2 mice is induced exclusively by thymocyte antigen. Thy-1 antigens of brain and bone marrow, which expressed much Thy-1 antigen, were poorly immunogenic if at all. Brain Thy-1 antigen considerably inhibited the immunogenicity of thymocyte Thy-1. Moreover, we found that subcellular form of thymocytes induce as high antibody responses as intact thymocytes do. The subcellular thymocyte Thy-1 antigen behaved as TI-2 antigen, inducing a good response in athymic nude mice but not in CBA/N mice with a B cell defect. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the possible physiological activity of Thy-1 or Thy-1-linked molecules on thymocytes specifically mediating lymphocyte differentiation.