Induction of human gamma delta T cells in myasthenia gravis thymus transplanted SCID mice.

BACKGROUND

TCR-gamma delta cells develop by extrathymic differentiation and might play an important role in thymectomy-resistant myasthenia gravis (MG) patients. In this study, we show development of human TCR-gamma delta cells in periphery of SCID mice by transplantation of human MG thymus or thymoma.

METHODS

Three pieces of thymoma tissue and four of non-thymoma thymic tissues were obtained from MG patients by thymectomy. Each tissue was transplanted into 5-6 weeks old female SCID mice by intraperitoneal injection or surgical implantation. Rate of human TCR-positive cell development and its subtypes (TCR-alpha beta, TCR-gamma delta) were measured in the mice blood at one, three, and six weeks after the transplantation.

RESULTS

Human TCR-positive cells were detected three weeks after transplantation. Rate of TCR-gamma delta T cell development got higher in thymoma transplanted group than in non-thymoma transplanted group.

CONCLUSIONS

We could successfully develop human mature T cells in SCID mice by transplantation of human MG thymus or thymoma.