Phenotypic analysis and gamma delta-T cell receptor repertoire of murine T cells associated with the vaginal epithelium.
T cells expressing alpha beta- and gamma delta-TCR are associated with the murine vaginal epithelium. A combination of phenotypic analysis of cell surface Ag and molecular analysis of the gamma- and delta-genes was used to demonstrate that vaginal gamma delta-T cells have several features that distinguish them from gamma delta-T cells present in other tissues. Three color flow cytofluorometric analysis demonstrated that freshly isolated vaginal gamma delta-T cells are CD4-CD8- and their expression of Thy-1 is strain dependent. Furthermore, specific differences in CD5, CD28, and p55IL-2 receptor expression were found between alpha beta- and gamma delta-T cells isolated from vaginal tissue. The vaginal gamma delta-T cells are predominantly CD45+, pgp-1+, HSA-, Ly-6C-, and MEL-14-. Both alpha beta- and gamma delta-T cells were absent in vaginal tissue from nude mice, although Thy-1-positive cells are present. It was also demonstrated that V gamma 4 and V delta 1 are the only gamma- and delta-genes that are expressed by vaginal cells. Sequence analysis of their junctions revealed that they express the V gamma 4 and V delta 1 sequences also found in fetal thymocytes. Furthermore, the V delta 1 sequence is identical in the vaginal cells and the gamma delta-T cells from the epidermal epithelium. We conclude that the vagina, like the skin, is a site where gamma delta-T cells with an invariant TCR exist.
Cancer Research Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley 94720.
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D000818:Animals; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; D014621:Vagina / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens