The acquisition of receptors for peanut agglutinin by peanut agglutinin-negative thymocytes and peripheral T cells.

Using fluorescein-conjugated peanut agglutinin (PNA) and the fluorescence-activated cell sorter, we have shown that the cytotoxic T cells generated by culturing thymocytes (about 85% PNA+ cells) with Con A and medium conditioned by Con A-stimulated spleen cells were mostly PNA+. Cytotoxic T cells generated in parallel cultured of PNA- thymocytes or normal lymph node cells (in which the T cells are PNA-), however, were also mostly PNA+. The development of PNA+ cells from PNA- mature peripheral T cells was confirmed by using cultures of PNA- T cells separated on a fluorescence-activated cell sorter from lymph node cells. Immunization in vivo also resulted in the appearance of PNA+ T cells in the lymph node. These results indicate that receptors for PNA can no longer be regarded as unambiguous markers of T cell immaturity, or of the origin of a T cell from a PNA+ precursor. The possibility that a variable proportion of the PNA+ cells in the thymus may be generated by intrathymic activation of PNA- medullary thymocytes is discussed.