A human CD4 transgene rescues CD4CD8+ cells in β2‐microglobulin‐deficient mice

Abstract
The specificity of the αβ T cell receptor for class I or class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules determines whether a mature T cell will be of the CD4CD8+ or CD4+CD8 phenotype, respectively. We show here that a human CD4 transgene can rescue a significant fraction of CD4CD8+ T cells in β2-microglobulin-deficient mice. Cells with this phenotype could be induced to become potent killers of targets expressing allogeneic MHC antigens, indicating that lineage commitment can precede the rescue of developing cells by the T cell receptor for antigen and the CD4 coreceptor.