Expression of identical V alpha V beta gene pairs by IE-alloreactive and IE-restricted, antigen-specific T cells from MHC disparate mice. Evidence for thymic selection of V(D)J combinations.
Alloreactive T cell hybridomas specific for IEk and/or IEb MHC Ag were obtained from IE-nonexpressor (IE alpha b) mice. The TCR V alpha and V beta gene segments used were identified by Northern blot and RNase protection. A large proportion (24 of 80 hybridomas tested) employed the same V alpha genes (V alpha 11.1 or V alpha 11.2) as are utilized in the IEk and IEb restricted response to the Ag cytochrome c. Of these 24 alloreactive hybridomas, 10 also expressed V beta genes utilized in the IE plus cytochrome c repertoire. Structural similarity between the two related sets of TCR indicates that V alpha segments can play a determining role in MHC specificity. These data also suggest that thymic selection based on TCR reactivity with self-MHC products acts on particular V(D)J combinations rather than on V alpha V beta pairings alone.
Nakajima
P B
PB
Department of Pathology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111.
Betz
C J
CJ
Hansburg
D
D
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000276:immunology; D015870:Gene Expression; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000502:physiology; D006825:Hybridomas; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D051379:Mice; D015347:RNA Probes; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000502:physiology*
D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D015347:RNA Probes; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta