Change in antigen specificity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes is associated with the rearrangement and expression of a T-cell receptor beta-chain gene.
Cloned H-Y-specific murine cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which alter antigen specificity in vitro ("aging"), simultaneously exhibit changes in the T-cell antigen receptor beta-chain rearrangements and respective mRNAs expressed. beta-chain cDNA clones were isolated from a library prepared from mRNA of aged killer T cells. The sequence of the beta-chain variable region element (VAK) was found to be identical with germ-line DNA. Four bases at the beta-chain diversity-joining region (D beta--J beta) junction cannot be explained by known germ-line D beta and J beta elements. These results illustrate that in T-cell clones altered antigen specificity correlates with a switch in productive beta-chain rearrangements of the T-cell receptor. When tested for its expression under physiological conditions, significant levels of VAK mRNA were found in normal lymphocyte populations.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051379:Mice; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D004247:DNA