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T-cell lymphopenia following BM transplantation or diseases such as AIDS result in immunodeficiency. Novel approaches to ameliorate this situation are urgently required. Herein, we describe a novel stromal cell free culture system in which Lineage(-) Sca1(+)c-kit(+) BM hematopoietic progenitors very efficiently differentiate into pro-T cells. This culture system consists of plate-bound Delta-like 4 Notch ligand and the cytokines SCF and IL-7. The pro-T cells developing in these cultures express CD25, CD117, and partially CD44; express cytoplasmic CD3epsilon; and have their TCRbeta locus partially D-J rearranged. They could be expanded for over 3 months and used to reconstitute the T-cell compartments of sublethally irradiated T-cell-deficient CD3epsilon(-/-) mice or lethally irradiated WT mice. Pro-T cells generated in this system could partially correct the T-cell lymphopenia of pre-Talpha(-/-) mice. However, reconstituted CD3epsilon(-/-) mice suffered from a wasting disease that was prevented by co-injection of purified CD4(+) CD25(high) WT Treg cells. In a T-cell-sufficient or T-lymphopenic setting, the development of disease was not observed. Thus, this in vitro culture system represents a powerful tool to generate large numbers of pro-T cells for transplantation and possibly with clinical applications.
