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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
12
pubmed:dateCreated
1997-7-7
pubmed:abstractText
Thymocyte-positive selection involves signaling through TCR and accessory molecules, and the signaling intensity appears to be critical for this event. The specific inhibitor of classical Ca2+-dependent protein kinase C (cPKC), Gö 6976, inhibited positive selection in fetal thymus organ culture, indicating that cPKC activation is essential for positive selection. The major protein kinase C isoforms in CD4+ CD8+ thymocytes are cPKC-alpha, cPKC-beta, and the novel Ca2+-independent protein kinase C, nPKC-epsilon. To analyze the effect of cPKC activation level on positive selection, we used thymocytes from TCR transgenic mice with nonselecting and RAG-2 -/- backgrounds as they were developmentally arrested at the CD4+ CD8+ stage without positive selection signals. These thymocytes survived and acquired CD4/CD8 lineage commitment in suspension culture upon transient stimulation with limited concentrations of the selective activator of cPKC-alpha and -beta, thymeleatoxin, and the calcium ionophore, ionomycin. However, neither 12-deoxyphorbol 13-phenylacetate 20-acetate, which selectively activates cPKC-beta, nor ingenol 3,20-dibenzoate, which selectively activates nPKC-epsilon, exerted such an effect. The thymeleatoxin/ionomycin concentrations corresponded to those that inhibit glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis in thymocytes and were lower than those that induce proliferation of mature T cells. The CD4 lineage commitment required a higher level of cPKC activity than the CD8 lineage commitment. CD8alpha or CD4 mRNA expression was down-regulated. Functional helper and killer T cells were induced from the CD4 and CD8 lineage-committed cells, respectively, by additional stimulation. These results suggest that thymocyte lineage commitment in positive selection is regulated by the level of cPKC-alpha activity or by the levels of cPKC-alpha and -beta activities.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
AIM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
0022-1767
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
15
pubmed:volume
158
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
5707-16
pubmed:dateRevised
2009-11-19
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1997
pubmed:articleTitle
Regulation of thymocyte lineage commitment by the level of classical protein kinase C activity.
pubmed:affiliation
Project Research Center, Mitsubishi Kasei Institute of Life Sciences, Machida-shi, Tokyo, Japan.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article