title: Selection of TCR V alpha by MHC class II predicts superantigen reactivity.
abstract: Recognition of superantigens by T cells predominantly involves the TCR V beta region. The contribution of reactivity from the non-V beta portion of the TCR remains less clear. We have investigated the V alpha repertoire of T cells bearing one V beta element responding to different superantigen or polyclonal stimuli. The data indicate that the V alpha chain is not directly involved in superantigen recognition, since unrelated superantigens do not stimulate cells bearing different V alpha elements. Instead, analysis of V alpha elements used preferentially in the CD4+ or CD8+ cells, shows that the V alpha-regions predominating in the superantigen response are the same V alphas that are positively selected into the CD4+ lineage. Thus the ability of a V alpha-region to either aid or hinder the interaction with class II predicts its frequency in a superantigen-responding population of T cells.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000494:pharmacology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology*; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000276:immunology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology; D018089:Superantigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004768:Enterotoxins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D018089:Superantigens; C049463:enterotoxin E, Staphylococcal; C026066:enterotoxin A, Staphylococcal