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Preservation of Functioning Human Thyroid "Organoids" in the scid Mouse. IV. In Vivo Selection of an Intrathyroidal T Cell Receptor Repertoire¹

Departments of Medicine, Pathology (P.U.), and Surgery (A.E.S., E.W.F.), Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029; and The Jackson Laboratory (L.D.S.), Bar Harbor, Maine 04609

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Andreas Martin, Box 1055, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, New York 10029. E-mail: amartin{at}smtplink.mssm.edu

To study the in vivo influence of thyroid cells on the T cell receptor repertoire in human autoimmune thyroid disease, we mixed lymphocyte-free thyrocytes (1.2 x 10⁶) from patients with Graves’ disease with autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC; 1.5 x 10⁶) and transplanted this mixture sc into scid mice while suspended in a basement membrane gel (0.4 ml). Controls included mice that received either thyrocytes only or PBMC only. The resulting artificial mixed cell thyroid organoids were explanted after 5 weeks, and their T cell receptor repertoire was examined. Of a total of 63 organoids constructed, 60 were recovered (95.2%). Total RNA was extracted and then analyzed by reverse transcription-PCR primarily for human T cell receptor (hTcR) Vß gene expression using 21 hTcR Vß amplimers. A restricted pattern of hTcR Vß gene expression was found, with 6 Vß genes (Vß5, 6, 7, 8, 13.1, and 18) predominantly expressed [P < 0.05, by ANOVA on ranks and Student-Newman-Keul’s (SNK) test]. PBMC and control organoids showed no preferential selection of particular hTcR V gene-expressing T cells.

This reductionist, mixed cell, thyroid model reflected earlier observations in human and murine autoimmune thyroid diseases in which a bias in hTcR V gene family expression had been observed. The model permitted in vivo T cell selection and/or enrichment of potentially disease relevant human T cells.