Ontogeny of proliferative and cytotoxic responses to interleukin 2 and concanavalin A in murine fetal thymus.

The ontogeny of proliferative and cytotoxic responses to concanavalin A (Con A) and interleukin 2 (IL 2) in C57BL/6J (B6) fetal thymus (FT) was investigated. Embryonic thymocytes were either taken from embryos at different times of gestation or from 14 day B6 FT that were maintained as organ cultures for various times. It was found that the B6 FT could proliferate to Con A and EL4 SN (an IL 2 containing culture supernatant) in a synergistic fashion. This synergy between Con A and EL4 SN was first observed at the 16th to 17th day of gestation. A similar differentiation process took place in 14-day FT that had been maintained as organ cultures; the synergy between Con A and EL4 SN was first observed after 3 days in organ culture. This synergy increased with increasing time of organ culture, and was most evident after 10 days. The synergy between Con A and EL4 SN was also observed when the EL4 SN was replaced with IL 2 which had been purified from crude EL4 SN to apparent homogeneity. B6 FT could also form cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) on stimulation with Con A and EL4 SN. Con A-activated CTL (polyspecific) were detected by including phytohemagglutinin in the assay medium. CTL response was first detected in the 17-day fetal thymus by using this assay. In organ cultures, CTL responses were first detected after 4 days in organ culture, and reached peak levels after 12 to 14 days. The CTL precursor (CTL-P) frequencies in the B6 FT after 2, 5, 10, and 14 days in organ culture were less than 1/10,000, 1/2232, 1/297, and 1/70, respectively; the corresponding CTL-P frequency in adult thymus was 1/60. After 6 days in organ culture, B6 FT could also form CTL in response to Con A and pure IL 2. This finding suggests that the ability to synthesize other differentiation factors that are required for CTL responses is acquired at an early time of thymic differentiation.