Involvement of Insulin-Like Growth Factors in Early T Cell Development: A Study Using Fetal Thymic Organ Cultures

The expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) and IGF receptor genes was investigated by RT-PCR during ontogeny of the murine thymus. IGF-1, IGF-1R, M6P/IGF-2R genes are expressed in the thymus both in fetal and postnatal life, whereas IGF-2 messenger RNAs (mRNAs) decline after birth but are still detectable on the seventh week. By in situ hybridization, IGF-2 transcripts were located in the outer cortex and medulla of the postnatal thymus, and on the whole surface ofthe epithelial-like network in the fetal thymus. The effects of anti-IGFs and IGF-receptors neutralizing Abs on the generation of pre-T cell subpopulations were then investigated using fetal thymic organ cultures (FTOC). FTOC treatment with an anti-IGF-2 mAb, an anti-IGF-1R mAb, or an anti-M6P/IGF-2R polyclonal Ab induced a blockade of T cell differentiation at the CD4-CD8- stage, as shown by a significant increase in the percentage of CD4-CD8- cells and a decrease in the percentage of CD4+CD8+ cells. Moreover, anti-IGF-2 Ab treatment induced an increase in CD8+ cells suggesting that thymic IGF-2 might have a role in determining differentiation into the CD4 or CD8 lineage. Anti-IGF-1 Ab treatment decreased the proportion in CD4-CD8- cells and increased the frequency in CD4+CD8+. FTOC treatment with anti-(pro)insulin did not exert any significant effect on T cell development. These data indicate that the intrathymic IGF-mediated signaling plays an active role in the early steps of T cell differentiation during fetal development

Persistent infection of thymic epithelial cells with coxsackievirus B4 results in a decreased expression of insulin-like growth factor 2

It has been hypothesized that a disturbance of central self-tolerance to islet β-cell may play a role in the enteroviral pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. Whether enteroviruses can induce an impaired expression of β-cell self-antigens in thymic epithelial cells has been investigated in a murine thymic epithelial (MTE) cell line. This cell line was permissive to the diabetogenic strain CV-B4 E2 and spontaneously expressed type 2 insulin-like growth factor (Igf2), the dominant self-antigen of the insulin family. In this model, a persistent replication of CV-B4 E2 was obtained as attested by the prolonged detection of intracellular positive and negative-strand viral RNA by RT-PCR, and capsid protein VP1 by IF and by the release of infectious particles in culture supernatant fluids. The chronic stage of the infection was characterized by a low proportion of VP1-positive cells (1-2%) whereas many cells harbored enteroviral RNA as displayed by RT-PCR without extraction applied directly on a few cells. Igf2 mRNA and IGF-2 protein were dramatically decreased in CV-B4 E2-infected MTE cultures compared with mock-infected cultures, whereas housekeeping and Il6 genes expression were maintained and Igf1 mRNA was decreased but at a lower extent. Inoculation of CV-B3-, CV-B4 JVB- or Echovirus 1 resulted in a low level of IGF-2 in culture supernatant fluids as well, whereas HSV-1 stimulated the production of the protein. Thus, a persistent infection of a thymic epithelial cell line with enteroviruses, like CV-B4 E2 can result in a disturbed production of IGF-2, a protein involved in central self-tolerance towards islet β-cells.FP6 Integrated Project Eurothymaid

The role of the thymus in integrated evolution of the recombinase-dependent adaptive immune response and the neuroendocrine system

Before being able to react against infectious non-self antigens, the immune system has to be educated in recognition and tolerance of neuroendocrine self-proteins. This sophisticated educational process takes place only in the thymus. The development of an autoimmune response directed to neuroendocrine glands has been shown to result from a thymus dysfunction in programming immunological self-tolerance to neuroendocrine-related antigens. This thymus dysfunction leads to a breakdown of immune homeostasis with an enrichment of ‘forbidden’ self-reactive T cells and a deficiency in self-antigen specific natural regulatory T cells (nTreg) in the peripheral T-lymphocyte repertoire. A large number of neuroendocrine self-antigens are expressed by the thymic epithelium, under the control of the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene/protein in the medulla. Based on the close homology and cross-tolerance between thymic type 1 diabetes-related self-antigens and peripheral antigens targeted in β cells by autoimmunity, a novel type of vaccination is currently developed for prevention and cure of type 1 diabetes. If this approach were found to be effective in reprogramming immunological tolerance that is absent or broken in this disease, it could pave the way for the design of negative/tolerogenic self-vaccines against other endocrine and organ-specific autoimmune disorders.Tolediab - Eurothymaid