BCR/ABL-expressing DCs preferentially home to the thymus. (A,B) From H8 bone marrow in vitro–generated and LPS-matured BCR/ABL-expressing and control DCs (empty GFP vector–transduced) were analyzed for VLA-4, PSGL-1, CCR7, CD44, and CXCR4 expression by flow cytometry. (A) The expression of the homing markers on BCR/ABL-expressing (■) and control DCs (□, empty vector–transduced) is displayed as relative change compared with nontransduced DCs (100%). One representative experiment of 2 is shown. (B) CD45.1⁺ recipient mice were immunized with 4 × 10⁶ BCR/ABL-expressing or control DCs. Eighteen hours later, the number of CD11c⁺CD45.1⁻GFP⁺ cells in the thymus and spleen was analyzed by flow cytometry. The number of BCR/ABL-expressing (■) or control DCs (□, empty GFP vector–transduced) in the thymus and spleen was analyzed by flow cytometry. (C) Bone marrow chimeric mice were immunized on day 20 and 21 after bone marrow transplantation with BCR/ABL-expressing (■) or control DCs (□) or nonimmunized (□ dotted). On day 23, thymi were analyzed for the frequency of gp33-specific CD8⁺ T cells (CD45.1⁺) and polyclonal CD8⁺ T cells (CD45.2⁺). Data are shown as frequency of CD8⁺ T cells of CD45.1⁺ lymphocytes or CD8⁺ T cells of CD45.2⁺ lymphocytes in mice immunized with BCR/ABL-expressing or control DCs relative to nontreated control mice. Results are mean plus or minus SEM of 3 samples per group.