Different expression of T-cell receptor beta-chain variable region genes in lymph nodes of lpr mice with different alleles of the major histocompatibility complex.
In order to search for a possible role of abnormally proliferating T cells in developing autoimmune disease in lpr mice, and to define the difference of the T cells among various lpr-congeneic mice with different clinicopathological findings, the T-cell receptor (TcR) V beta gene expression in the enlarged lymph nodes (LN) of C3H/HeJ-lpr/lpr (C3H-lpr), C57BL/6-lpr/lpr (B6-lpr) and MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL-lpr) mice was analysed. A RNA blot analysis using several V beta-specific probes showed that the V beta 3 gene, whose products are important for recognizing Mlsb/a, was used in B6-lpr and MRL-lpr with the Mlsb/b but not in C3H-lpr with the Mlsb/a. The V beta 5 gene, which is selectively related to I-E molecules, was predominantly used in B6-lpr(I-E-) but not in C3H-lpr(I-E+) nor MRL-lpr(I-E+). Similarly, the V12 gene was also expressed in B6-lpr but not in C3H-lpr. To compare in detail in V beta repertoire among lpr mice with different major histocompatibility complex (MHC) backgrounds, the V beta gene sequences in the cDNA libraries from LN cells of C3H-lpr were analysed, following the recent investigation of B6-lpr mice (Ohga et al., 1989). Eleven beta-chain cDNA out of 32 beta cDNA in B6-lpr and 24 beta-chain cDNA out of 55 beta cDNA in C3H-lpr were found to contain sequences with open reading frames that potentially encode functional TcR beta-chain. The frequencies of the messages in the cDNA libraries from these mice were consistent with the RNA blot analysis using V beta 3- and V beta 5-specific probes. It was notable that 36% of the functional beta-chain mRNA in B6-lpr and 50% of the beta mRNA in C3H-lpr expressed the V beta 8 gene family. When the TcR V beta gene expression was compared between the LN cells in C3H-lpr, B6-lpr and MRL-lpr, as reported by Singer et al. (1986), the usage of V beta genes other than the V beta 8 gene family in B6-lpr (H-2b) LN cells differed significantly from those in C3H-lpr (H-2k) and MRL-lpr (H-2k). The results presented here indicate that the usage of V beta genes is heavily influenced by the genetic background of lpr mice, similar to normal mice, but with preferential usage of the V beta 8 gene family as a common structural feature in lpr gene-induced cell populations.
Ohga
S
S
Department of Immunology, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Yoshikai
Y
Y
Kishihara
K
K
Matsuzaki
G
G
Ogimoto
M
M
Nomoto
K
K
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000235:genetics; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology*; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*
D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell