title: Analysis of T cell receptor-gene rearrangement in T cells from the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Characterization of T cells present in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may contribute to an understanding of the immunopathologic role of these cells. To analyze the T cells in the CSF of MS patients, 30 cloned T cell lines from each of two MS patients were surveyed for their patterns of T cell receptor (TcR) beta-chain gene rearrangement. DNA from the (CSF-derived) T cell clones was digested with a number of restriction endonucleases and the gene rearrangement patterns were analyzed with a T cell receptor beta-chain probe. Southern blot analysis of the DNA of these T cell clones indicated that all had rearrangements of the TcR beta-chain genes, but none of the rearrangements were identical. These results suggest that, if a few clones of specific T cells are involved, they must form a tiny minority in comparison to the total number of T cells in the CSF of MS patients.
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Rotteveel
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kokkelink
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: van Walbeek
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Polman
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: van Dongen
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lucas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell