Immortalization of human T cells expressing T-cell receptor gamma delta by herpesvirus saimiri.
Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS) has recently been shown to immortalize human CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing T-cell receptor alpha beta (TCR-alpha beta) with the maintenance of their original phenotypes and functional properties. However, the immortalization of human T cells expressing TCR-gamma delta by HVS has not been successful. Here we report that HVS can also infect and immortalize human T cells expressing TCR-gamma delta. Two human TCR-gamma delta+ T-cell clones, which continuously proliferated in interleukin-2-containing culture medium without any exogenous stimulation or addition of feeder cells for more than 8 months, were established by HVS infection. Morphologically, the HVS-transformed TCR-gamma delta+ T-cell clones were granular lymphocytes which exhibited wide-range HLA-unrestricted cytotoxicity as untransformed TCR-gamma delta+ T cells. Their phenotypes and cytotoxic activities were not altered during long-term culture. The immortalization of human TCR-gamma delta+ T cells by HVS infection would be useful for functional analysis of this lymphocyte population, which is believed to play an important role in protection against various infectious diseases.
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002999:Clone Cells; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006567:Herpesvirus 2, Saimiriine / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007739:L Cells; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D015703:Antigens, CD; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta