title: In vivo primed mouse T cells selectively express T cell-specific serine proteinase-1 and the proteinase-like molecules granzyme B and C.
abstract: Previous studies have shown that mouse CD8+ T lymphocyte clones (TLC) produce T cell-specific serine proteinase-1 (MTSP-1) as well as a family of six homologous molecules, termed granzymes B - G, which are structurally related to serine proteinases. Of these proteins, only MTSP-1 has been studied in detail. It has been shown to occur in the majority of CD8+ and a fraction of CD4+ T effector cells in vivo and in vitro and has demonstrable enzyme activity in these cells. The presence of the other serine proteinase-like molecules in T cells is less well defined. We have now analyzed the expression of mRNA species specific for granzymes B - G in activated T cell populations using the sensitive polymerase chain reaction which allows the detection of mRNA species from as little as 2 pg of total cytoplasmic RNA. We demonstrate that MTSP-1 and all six serine proteinase-like transcripts are expressed in a panel of four CD8+ and six CD4+ long-term-cultured TLC, though at greatly differing concentrations. In contrast, in vivo primed T cells of both phenotypes, CD4+ and CD8+, and in vitro activated T cells derived from short-term cultures only express mRNA species specific for MTSP-1 and CCP1 and little of those for CCP2, but no transcripts for granzymes D - G. These findings argue against the participation of granzymes D - G in T cell-mediated functions in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Immunbiologie, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ebnet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chluba-de Tapia
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hurtenbach
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Simon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D053804:Granzymes; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D018075:RNA, Complementary; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018075:RNA, Complementary; D012313:RNA; D053804:Granzymes; C509214:Gzmb protein, mouse; C509216:Gzmc protein, mouse; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases