The glycosylation status of murine [corrected] postnatal thymus: a study by histochemistry and lectin blotting.

During the intrathymic development, the fate of the thymocytes depends largely on variable expression of CD4/CD8 markers and T cell receptor protein expressions. In addition, changes of cell surface glycosylation status also affect the thymocyte maturation. In this study the glycosylation alterations in thymic tissues from 1, 9, 13 and 16 days old mice were evaluated by histochemical and lectin blotting techniques. With alcian blue (AB) at pH 5.7/periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stainings, it was shown that thymic microenvironments contained carboxlylated and sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Strong positivity to AB at pH 2.5, which specific for sialomucins, was seen in some medullary thymocytes. Similarly, it was shown that with Maackia amurensis agglutinin (MAL) medullary thymocytes, but not cortical ones, contained alpha(2 --> 3) linked sialic acid structures. On the other hand, while reaction with peanut agglutinin (PNA), which specific for core disaccharide galactose beta(1 --> 3) N-acetylgalactosamine, was only seen in cortical thymocytes, reaction with Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA), which specific for terminal mannose residues, was seen in both cortex and medulla. However, Datura stramonium agglutinin (DSA), which recognizes galactose beta(1 --> 4) N-acetylglucosamine, was not only cell-specific, but it was bound some thymic vessels. With lectin blotting studies, five glycoprotein bands of molecular weights approximately 39, approximately 54, 100, approximately 110 and approximately 212 were found which reacted with MAL, PNA and DSA as well as GNA. These results suggest that glycosylation patterns of cell surface glycoconjugates are modified during thymocyte selection processes of postnatal days.