title: Surface expression of a T cell receptor beta (TCR-beta) chain in the absence of TCR-alpha, -delta, and -gamma proteins.
abstract: The antigen receptor expressed by mature T cells has been described as a disulfide-linked alpha/beta or gamma/delta heterodimer noncovalently associated with CD3, a complex of transmembrane proteins that communicates signals from the T cell receptor (TCR) to the cell interior. Studies suggest that all component chains must assemble intracellularly before surface expression can be achieved. We described, however, a CD4+/CD8+ transformed murine thymocyte, KKF, that expresses surface TCR-beta chains in the absence of gamma, delta, and alpha proteins; these beta chains are only weakly associated with CD3-epsilon and CD3-zeta. Furthermore, KKF responds differently to stimulation through TCR-beta and CD3-epsilon, a functional dissociation that has been ascribed to a CD4+/CD8+ subpopulation of normal thymocytes. KKF's unique TCR structure may offer an explanation for the functional anomalies observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Punt
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Finkel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kathiresan
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Blank
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D017252:CD3 Complex; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA