T cell receptor delta-gene expression and diversity in the mouse spleen.
Thirteen T cell hybridomas and two cell lines expressing gamma delta TCR were generated from B10 and B6 CD3+CD4-CD8- splenic T cells. At least three different types of gamma-chains (V gamma 2-C gamma 1, C gamma 2, and C gamma 4) were shown to be expressed in these cells. Analysis of V delta gene segment usage in these hybridomas was performed by Northern blot hybridizations using probes specific for the V delta 1 through V delta 6 gene families and electrophoretic analysis of polymerase chain reaction amplified DNA obtained using V region-specific oligonucleotide primers for the V delta gene families as well as for V alpha 10, V alpha 4, and V alpha 11. These analyses revealed that V delta 5 gene segments are used by a high percentage of splenic gamma delta CD4-CD8- T cells (53% of the cells in our panel). Other V delta segments expressed by our panel of cells were V delta 2, V delta 4, V delta 6, and V alpha 10, indicating that the V delta repertoire expressed in the spleen is similar, but possibly not identical to the adult thymus repertoire. Sequence analysis of the V-D-J joinings of the delta-chain messages revealed substantial diversity, indicating that the delta-chain repertoire expressed in peripheral lymphoid organs uses a significant portion of the potential diversity predicted for these chains. These results demonstrate that, in spite of the low numbers of gamma delta T cells in peripheral lymphoid organs, the diversity of their TCR is extensive enough to play an important role in the immune response.
Ezquerra
A
A
Biological Resources Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Cron
R Q
RQ
McConnell
T J
TJ
Valas
R B
RB
Bluestone
J A
JA
Coligan
J E
JE
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015870:Gene Expression; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D006825:Hybridomas; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*
D009841:Oligonucleotides; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta