Expression of the human V beta 8 gene product preferentially correlates with class II major histocompatibility complex restriction specificity.
We report that, in peripheral blood T cells, the V beta 8 gene product is much more represented on CD4+CD8- than on CD4-CD8+ lymphocytes. This skewing was observed in all individuals tested and with two independent strategies, one of which allows the selection of V beta 8+ T cells independently from their major histocompatibility complex-antigen specificity. Our data imply that the human V beta 8 gene product confers class II restriction specificity and that both the T cell receptor chains and CD4 molecule are involved in the selection of the T cell repertoire.
Imberti
L
L
Consorzio per le Biotecnologie, Laboratorio di Biotecnologie, Brescia, Italy.
Sottini
A
A
Spagnoli
G
G
Primi
D
D
D015870:Gene Expression; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000502:physiology*
D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta