title: Patterns of T cell receptor gamma gene rearrangements in human CD3+ clones derived from WT31- or Leu7+ cells in relation to non-MHC-restricted cytotoxic activity.
abstract: Clones were obtained from human peripheral blood WT31-, WT31-CD4-8-, CD4-8- or Leu 7+ cells in the presence of interleukin 2 and phytohaemagglutinin. Almost all clones were CD3+, about 50% were CD4-8- and all clones tested derived from WT31- remained WT31-, indicating that they were expressing a gamma/delta heterodimer in association with CD3. Some clones derived from CD4-8- cells expressing CD3 were WT31- and some were WT31+. All CD3+ clones had T cell receptor (TCR) gamma gene rearrangements; most also had their TCR beta genes rearranged, including all clones derived from Leu 7+ cells. TCR gamma gene rearrangements were noted involving all five known J segments. There was a tendency for V gene segments from the VII and VIII subgroups to be rearranged to J gamma 2 less often than those from the more 5' VI subgroup. Two clones definitely had one rearrangement to C gamma 1 and one to C gamma 2. When clones derived from WT31- cells were considered, the only obvious relationship which emerged was that all clones with both chromosomes rearranged to C gamma 2 had low or negligible cytotoxic activity against natural killer (NK)-sensitive and NK-resistant targets. Several of these clones were expressing CD8 on about 30% of cells. Most clones with rearrangements involving only C gamma 1 had high non-MHC-restricted cytotoxicity while those with at least one C gamma 1 rearrangement had either high or low activity. The only exceptions noted were a clone with a single V9JP rearrangement and a clone with a V9JP and a VI/IIIJP1 rearrangement, which both had low activity. A similar pattern was also found with most clones derived from Leu 7+ cells. The data are consistent with the participation of most types of disulphide-linked (C gamma 1) gamma/delta heterodimers in non-MHC-restricted cytotoxic activity mediated by CD3+ gamma/delta + T cell clones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, Christie Hospital and Holt Radium Institute, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Christmas
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics*; D017252:CD3 Complex; D002999:Clone Cells; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics*; D015334:Gene Rearrangement, gamma-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D006801:Humans; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell