T CELL FUNCTIONAL DEFECT ASSOCIATED WITH THYMIC EPITHELIAL CELL INJURY INDUCED BY A GRAFT-VERSUS-HOST REACTION

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Abstract
Injection of parental strain cells into adrenalectomized (CBA .times. A)F1 mice induced a graft-vs.-host (GVH) reaction which was morphologically characterized by thymus epithelial cell injury but not stress-related thymic involution. Thymocytes from mice undergoing a GVH reaction were studied for their ability to reconstitute allograft reactivity in thymectomized, irradiated, bone marrow-reconstituted (ATxBM) (CBA .times. A)F1 mice. Thymocytes of mice experiencing a GVH reaction were .theta.-positive during the course of the reaction; by 40 days after GVH induction these thymocytes were unable to reconstitute allograft reactivity to H-2-incompatible skin grafts. GVH-induced thymic epithelial cell injury may prevent or arrest normal T [thymus-derived] cell differentiation, resulting in a population of thymocytes which lack complete functional capability.