A search for messenger RNA molecules bearing immunoglobulin VH nucleotide sequences in T cells.
Expression of VH-coded mRNA molecules in T cells, antigen-specific T cell lines, or T cell hybridomas was not detected using four different VH DNA probes under conditions that permitted cross-hybridization between distantly related VH genes. In contrast, VH gene expression was readily detected in two B cell lymphomas and in splenic B cells. Less than one molecule per cell of RNA, exactly complementary to the DNA probes used, would have been detected in these T cell populations. The results thus seriously question the proposition that T cells use the B cell VH repertoire to code for antigen receptors.
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody / Q000235:genetics*; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000032:analysis; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*
D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell