Expression of the ectoenzyme RT6 is not restricted to resting peripheral T cells and is differently regulated in normal peripheral T cells, intestinal IEL, and NK cells

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
K WonigeitH Thude

Abstract

The RT6 alloantigenic system of the rat has originally been defined on T lymphocytes of the peripheral lymphatic organs and has been considered to be selectively expressed on mature peripheral T cells. Studying NK cells and intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL), we have now found that both cell types also express RT6 and that the expression patterns found for IEL and NK cells were markedly different from each other and also from the expression pattern previously described for T cells of the peripheral lymphatic organs. In lymph nodes, spleen, and blood both RT6- and RT6+ T cells have been found and the density of RT6 expression on the positive cells has been shown to vary over a broad range. In contrast more than 98% of intestinal IEL stained for RT6 and the RT6 density was about tenfold higher than on strongly positive T cells of the peripheral lymphatic organs. Furthermore, the same high RT6 density was also found on IEL of athymic nude rats althogh these cells, to a large extent, lacked other T cell markers. This probably indicates that RT6 expression is an early event in the maturation of intestinal IEL which can occur already before the expression of T cell-specific membrane molecules. The conclusion that the expres...Continue Reading

Citations

Dec 11, 1999·Autoimmunity·N N IwakoshiJ P Mordes
Jun 5, 1999·Journal of Immunological Methods·D ToddR Bortell

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