Lec 14: T cell DADM Flashcards
Do all naive T cells recognize self MHC-peptide complexes?
yes, they weakly recognize self-MHC
preferentially bind foriegn antigen but need to bind self MHC for survailence (whcih is part of the +ve selection process)
breif overview of the process of early thymocyte development
very early thymocyte development occurs in the bone marrow
then cells migrate to the thymus for further development
development of thymocytes in the thymus
talk about the different stages
positive/ negative selection stages to become single positive cells (these still have CD3)
then a final screening to remove autoreactive cells
they are then released into the peripheral bloodstream`
blerb about recombination of TCR gene segments to produce ab or gd T cells
occurs during the dn stage
TcRb rearrangements are one of the first to take place, and most likely to be productive
because of this, TcRab outsome are more likely thatn TcRgd (except in fetal development)
b-selection in DN thymocyte development
DN thymocytes undergo b-selection resulting in proliferation and differentiation
- > allelic exclusion ensures only one b-chain is rearranged. This is because we only want to express one beta chain
- > if rearrangement fails, can try again with the second
a successfully produced b chain is paried with the pre-Ta chain
- > a 33kDa protein surrogate for real TcRa chain
- > allows for formation of a pre-TcR complex (with CD3 proteins) and numerous signaling events
DP stage of thymocyte development
after b-selection has occured, thymocytes are at the DP stage
- > Functional TcRa chain replaces surrogate pre-TcRa
- > the cell still expresses both CD4 and CD8
- > Positive and negative selection occurs, yielding mature SP T cell
The affinity model of thymocyte selection
based on the strength of interaction between the TcR and self-MHC complexes
the stronger it binds, = negative selection
90% of cells fail to recognise self-MHC peptide complexes = death by neglect
In the stochastic overlap, selection towards Treg, represses responses towards self MHC antigen.
-> slightly less = naive T cell
Positive selection
intermediate affinity for MHC-peptide complex
thymocyte survival
resultrs in MHC restriction
COmmitment to either the CD4+ or CD8+ T cell lineage
most cells (90-95%) fail positive selection and do not receive need survival signals
negative selection
also known as clonal deletion
linits recognition of self
results in self-tolerance
skew cells to alternative factes, such ad Treg cells differentiaiton
less than 5% of thymocytes undergo clonal deletion
MTECS and negaive selection
MTECs have a uniqe TF AIRE which allows them to express TRA’s. These cells like to share antigen with DCs to aid in negative selection
allows new T cells to be safely screened in the thymus
Positive and negative selection ocurs in discrete thymic microenvironments
cortex and the medulla of the thymus provide microenvironments that coordinate a spatial and temporal segregation of thymocyte selection
Positive selection of ‘mainstream’ as T cells is sontingent on permissive interactions with a single APC type -> namely the cortical thymic epithelial cells (cTECs)
why are cTECs special
they have different proteasomes
different proteasomes = different peptides
cTECs have a proteasome that allows them to have the largest range of peptides
purpose of positive selection
makes sure that T cells bind a broad range of MHC-peptide complexes
Purpose of negative seleciton
negative selection (central tolerance) ensures self-tolerance
clonal deletion remains the best proven and most common method of tolerance induction in the thymus
clonal arrest
autoreactive T cells are prevented from maturing further
clonal anergy
autoreactive T cells are inactivated
clonal editing
second/thrid chance at rearranging a non-self-reactive TcRa gene
purpose fo the medulla and self tolerance
the medulla serves a crucial function for self tolerance induction
-> moreover disruption fo the 3D srchitecture of the medulla results in spont manifestations of autoimmunity
the medulla is a mosaic of self antigen
Tonic TcR signalling
T cells are selected based on the strength of interaction between the TcR and self-MHC complexes
resting T cells display a range of affinity for self, which generates a scale fo tonic signalling in vivo. -> engagesd but recognition is not sufficient to drove a response.
sub-threshhold tonic signals do not activate T cells, rather promote lymphocyte survial and modulated their function.
Relevance of CD5 for T Cells
more CD5 = stronger binding to self MHC peptide complexes
CD5 expression levels on SP thymocytes are thought to reflect the signalling intensity of the positively selecting TcR-MHC interaction
-> tuned CD5 levels persist on mature peripheral T cells as a footprint of thymic selection