Figure 6.
TCR specificity is sufficient to direct peripheral conversion in lymphopenic hosts. (A) Frequency distribution of TCRs tested. Data shown are the frequencies (percentages) of the TCRs in the datasets from thymocytes (reference 38), normal peripheral T cells (Table I), and T cells recovered after adoptive transfer into lymphopenic hosts (Fig. S6, available at http://www.jem.org/cgi/content/full/jem.20081359/DC1). (B) Retroviral manipulation of TCR specificity in peripheral T cells. Monoclonal TCli αβTCR transgenic T cells were transduced with TCRα chains, as described in Materials and methods. (top) The frequency of Foxp3+ cells in the transduced (Vα2+Vβ6+CD4+) T cell population was assessed by flow cytometry 2.5–3 wk after adoptive transfer into Tcrb−/− mice. (bottom) The absolute number of transduced (Vα2+) cells recovered was calculated using the cell count obtained via either a Coulter counter (Beckman Coulter) or hemacytometer (Hausser), and the frequency of Vα2+Vβ6+CD4+ T cells within the live gate, as determined by flow cytometry. Data shown are from individual mice and were obtained from five independent experiments constituting at least two independent retroviral transductions per TCR. Each symbol represents data from an individual recipient (n = 4–6), and the horizontal bars represent mean values.