Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
11
pubmed:dateCreated
1994-1-26
pubmed:abstractText
We describe herein the expression of the VLA6 complex by murine thymic epithelial cells (TEC). The immunohistochemical distribution revealed that VLA6 is found in both thymic medullary and subcapsullary areas. Moreover, studies by immunoelectron microscopy revealed a membrane labeling of the VLA6 molecule, including at desmosomal sites. By means of immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation, and affinity chromatography of extracts from a mouse TEC line, we further demonstrated that VLA6 is a laminin (LN) receptor in these cells. In keeping with this finding, we showed that TEC adhesion, spreading, and proliferation were enhanced in vitro by LN. The fact that VLA6 is also expressed by the large majority of thymocytes raised the hypothesis that it might be involved in LN-mediated TEC-thymocyte interactions. Interestingly, in vitro experiments showed that there is an increase in the TEC-thymocyte adhesion upon glucocorticoid hormone treatment, a situation in which the expression of VLA6 as well as LN is enhanced. Most importantly, this adhesion can be reversed by pre-treating TEC with an anti-alpha 6 integrin mAb. Additionally, spontaneous in vitro thymocyte release by thymic nurse cell complexes was enhanced by LN and partially blocked by anti-alpha 6 or anti-beta 1 antibodies. Our results suggest that VLA6 is involved in LN-mediated TEC-thymocyte interactions that can be relevant for thymic microenvironmental cell physiology and intrathymic T cell differentiation events.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Nov
pubmed:issn
0953-8178
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
5
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1421-30
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Animals, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Antibodies, Monoclonal, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Cell Adhesion, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Cell Division, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Cell Line, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Chromatography, Affinity, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Desmosomes, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Epithelial Cells, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Female, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Flow Cytometry, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Integrins, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Laminin, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Male, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Mice, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Mice, Inbred BALB C, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Mice, Inbred C57BL, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Microscopy, Immunoelectron, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Precipitin Tests, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Receptors, Very Late Antigen, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-T-Lymphocytes, pubmed-meshheading:8260456-Thymus Gland
pubmed:year
1993
pubmed:articleTitle
Extracellular matrix components of the mouse thymic microenvironment. III. Thymic epithelial cells express the VLA6 complex that is involved in laminin-mediated interactions with thymocytes.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Immunology, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't