Stage-specific expression of mouse BST-1/BP-3 on the early B and T cell progenitors prior to gene rearrangement of antigen receptor

Abstract

Human bone marrow stromal cell antigen 1 (BST-1) was identified as a glycosylphosphatidyl-inositol-anchored ectoenzyme expressed on bone marrow stromal or synovial cell lines and having the ability to facilitate pre-B cell line growth. The analysis of the expression of mouse BST-1/BP-3 on the surface of lymphoid cells in the bone marrow and thymus revealed that it was very transiently expressed on both B and T cell progenitors undergoing gene rearrangement of the antigen receptor. Among CD45R+CD43+ B cell progenitors in the bone marrow, BST-1 expression appeared on the CD24 (heat stable antigen)+, CD19+ or CD117 (c-kit)+ population. In the thymus, BST-1 was expressed on CD4-CD8-CD3- [triple negative (TN)] CD90 (Thy-1)+ cells. In TN thymocytes, the majority of CD25+ cells and CD44(lo/-) cells expressed BST-1. In fetuses, BST-1+ cells appeared in the thymus and liver at day 14 and 16 of gestation respectively. The expression level of BST-1 by fetal thymus was maximal and > 60% of thymocytes were positive for BST-1 at day 15 or 16 and the proportion then gradually decreased during development. Among day 15 fetal thymocytes, BST-1 was negative on the CD44+CD25- fraction, very slightly positive on the CD44+CD25+ fraction, and strongly positive on the CD44(lo/-)CD25+ and CD44-CD25- fractions. These results showed that murine BST-1 is a useful marker for lymphoid progenitor cells initiating gene rearrangement of their antigen receptors.