title: Conserved T cell receptor V gene usage by uveitogenic T cells.
abstract: Retinal S-antigen is widely used to study the LEW rat model of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU). In this report, we have examined the T cell receptor V gene usage of several T cell lines recognizing either pathogenic or nonpathogenic sites on S-antigen to determine whether the V alpha 510 and V beta 510 rat homologues of the murine V alpha 2 and V beta 8 families, respectively, are used by uveitogenic T cells. Using cDNA probes for a LEW rat T cell receptor specific for the encephalitogenic determinant of myelin basic protein, we have found that in the retinal S-antigen/EAU model for autoimmune disease, pathogenicity correlates with usage of those rat V genes. Thus, all of the pathogenic lines were found to express T cell receptors of the V beta 510 and V alpha 510 families; conversely, V beta 510 usage was not detected in any of the nonpathogenic lines. Usage of these V regions has been associated with pathogenicity in the murine and rat models of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, and now with S-antigen-induced EAU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Gregerson
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Fling
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Merryman
authors.forename: X M
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: X B
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heber-Katz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell