Allelic exclusion at DNA rearrangement level is required to prevent coexpression of two distinct T cell receptor beta genes.
In mice double transgenic for functionally rearranged T cell receptor (TCR) V beta 2 and V beta 8.2 genes we found that most T lymphocytes express both TCR beta chains simultaneously. These T cells show no abnormality in thymic selection in vivo and their TCRs are capable of transducing activation signals in vitro. These results indicate that multispecific T cells may appear in the periphery if allelic exclusion of TCR beta genes is not established at the level of gene rearrangement.
van Meerwijk
J P
JP
Biological Department, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland.
Romagnoli
P
P
Iglesias
A
A
Bluethmann
H
H
Steinmetz
M
M
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D005838:Genotype; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta