Figure 6. Central deletion of donor reactive T cells.

Vβ TCR markers were used to detect donor-reactive T cells from PBMCs. Deletion of Vβ 5 and 11 TCRs represents central deletion based on thymic engraftment of donor cells as long as chimerism persists (n = 3–7/time point). White and black bars represent expression from naive C57BL/6 and Balb/C controls. (A) Representative gating strategy for detection of Vβ TCR expressions. (B) TBI + CoB–treated animals showed deletion of donor-reactive CD4⁺Vβ11⁺ T cells, while CoB-treated recipients showed partial deletion. (C) CD4⁺Vβ5.1/2⁺ T cells were deleted in recipients treated with TBI + CoB compared with partial deletion in CoB-treated animals. (D) Positive control Vβ8⁺ TCR expressing CD4⁺ T cells were not deleted in either group.