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Galectin-1, an Endogenous Lectin Produced by Thymic Epithelial Cells, Induces Apoptosis of Human Thymocytes

Authors :
Nancy L. Perillo
Christel H. Uittenbogaart
Julie T. Nguyen
Linda G. Baum
Source :
The Journal of Experimental Medicine, The Journal of experimental medicine, vol 185, iss 10
Publication Year :
1997
Publisher :
The Rockefeller University Press, 1997.

Abstract

Galectin-1, a β-galactoside binding protein, is produced by thymic epithelial cells and binds to human thymocytes. We have previously reported that galectin-1 induces the apoptosis of activated T lymphocytes. Because the majority of thymocytes die via apoptosis while still within the thymus, we tested whether galectin-1 could induce the apoptosis of these cells. We now report that in vitro exposure to galectin-1 induced apoptosis of two subsets of CD4lo CD8lo thymocytes. The phenotypes of susceptible thymocytes were consistent with that of both negatively selected and nonselected cells. Galectin-1–induced apoptosis was enhanced by preexposure of thymocytes to antibody to CD3, suggesting that galectin-1 may be a participant in T-cell– receptor mediated apoptosis. In contrast, pretreatment of thymocytes with dexamethasone had no effect on galectin-1 susceptibility. We noted that 71% of the cells undergoing apoptosis after galectin-1 treatment had a DNA content greater than 2N, indicating that proliferating thymocytes were most sensitive to galectin-1. We propose that galectin-1 plays a role in the apoptosis of both negatively selected and nonselected thymocytes, and that the susceptibility of thymocytes to galectin-1 is regulated, in part, by entry or exit from the cell cycle.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
15409538 and 00221007
Volume :
185
Issue :
10
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
The Journal of Experimental Medicine
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....dcb07ed9023dc0c3d2f3e50ac40422fb