Bcl-2 expression promotes B- but not T-lymphoid development in scid mice

Abstract

EXPRESSION of antigen receptors is vital for the development of B and T lymphocytes. In mice with the scid mutation^1,2, which are unable to make productive rearrangements of their immuno-globulin and T-cell receptor (TCR) genes, lymphopoiesis aborts at an early stage. The death of the immature lymphocytes by apoptosis³ is postulated to result from a failure to receive a survival signal induced by receptor engagement⁴. Consistent with this hypothesis, introduction of immunoglobulin or TCR transgenes into scid mice promoted an increase in B- or T-lymphoid cells, respectively^5–7. As the protein encoded by the bcl-2 gene can inhibit cell death^8,9, we tested whether lymphopoiesis could be rescued in scid mice by crossing in a bcl-2 transgene. Strikingly, the bcl-2 scid mice accumulated almost normal numbers of B-lymphoid cells which lacked surface immunoglobulin but expressed markers of maturity. T-cell development remained blocked. Introducing a TCR transgene enabled bcl-2/scid mice to develop normal numbers of CD4⁺8⁺ thymocytes even in the absence of immunological selection, suggesting that T cells become competent to respond to bcl-2 protein only after the TCR complex is displayed at the cell surface.