Influence of T cell receptor V alpha expression on Mlsa superantigen-specific T cell responses.
Recognition of conventional foreign antigen by T cells is determined by the expression of multiple variable regions of both alpha and beta chains of the T cell receptor (TCR) alpha/beta heterodimer. In contrast, there exists a class of antigens that appears to interact with the TCR alpha/beta heterodimer through the variable region on the beta chain (V beta), independent of other TCR components, a property that has led to their designation as superantigens. The goal of the present study was to analyze V alpha use in V beta 6+ T cells responsive to the superantigen, Mlaa. Results indicate that while deletion of T cells expressing V beta 6 in Mlsa-expressing mice is essentially complete and therefore appears to occur regardless of V alpha usage, in vitro Mlsa stimulation of T cells from Mlsa-negative mice results in significant skewing of V alpha use among responding V beta 6+ T cells. This indicates that V alpha expression influences recognition of the superantigen, Mlsa by mature peripheral T cells.
Vacchio
M S
MS
Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Kanagawa
O
O
Tomonari
K
K
Hodes
R J
RJ
D000818:Animals; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016747:Minor Lymphocyte Stimulatory Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D016747:Minor Lymphocyte Stimulatory Antigens; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta