Thymic distribution of eGFP-expressing cells in reconstituted RAG-2 KO mice.

(A) Typical distribution of donor-derived eGFP⁺ cells in the thymus of RAG-2 KO mice 2 months after engraftment with Lin⁻Sca-1⁺ cells transduced with the LvCD4 vector. Electronic gates were set around CD45.1⁺eGFP⁻ and CD45.1⁺eGFP⁺ cells (left panel). Distribution of CD4/CD8-expressing thymocytes was then analyzed in eGFP⁺and eGFP⁻ cells. Histogram in the inset shows CD3 expression in total thymocytes (solid line), in total DP cells (dotted line), and in eGFP⁺ cells (bold line). (B) Summary of the results obtained as in panel A for nonspecific and T- or CD4-specific lentiviral vectors; areas represent the percentages of DN, DP, CD4 SP, and CD8 SP cells in eGFP⁻ or eGFP⁺ cells with the LvPGK, LvCD4, and LvCD4-Sil lentiviral vectors. (C) Distribution of thymocytes transduced with the CD4-specific lentiviral vector LvCD4-Sil in eGFP^lo or eGFP^hi cells analyzed as in panel A.