title: Characterization of chicken CD8-specific monoclonal antibodies recognizing novel epitopes.
abstract: CD8 is a heterodimeric cell surface glycoprotein expressed primarily on thymocytes and a subpopulation of mature T lymphocytes. It binds to the invariant part of the major histocompatibility complex class I molecule and participates in antigen recognition by the major histocompatibility complex class I restricted T cells. As in mammalian species, the majority of chicken thymocytes express both CD4 and CD8, whereas peripheral T cells are either CD4- or CD8-positive. We have created a panel of mouse monoclonal antibodies detecting different cell surface epitopes on chicken CD8. The antibodies precipitate a 32-34 kDa dimeric protein from surface labelled thymocytes under reducing conditions. The identical N-deglycosylation pattern confirms that these MoAb precipitate the same heterodimeric molecule from chicken thymocyte lysates. Binding of 11-38 and 11-39 MoAb to peripheral blood T cells is totally inhibited by 11-39 and previously characterized CT8 and EP72 MoAb, further confirming their CD8 specificity. CD8 alpha-chain specificity of MoAb 11-39, 11-38, 11-30 and 11-13 is conclusively proven by staining COS-cells transfected with a plasmid containing CD8 alpha cDNA. However, MoAb 11-13, 11-30 and 11-38 do not compete with MoAb 11-39 in binding to CD8. These results demonstrate recognition of different epitopes by these MoAb. Monoclonal antibodies detecting novel epitopes on chicken CD8 provide a valuable tool for further studies on T cell development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Turku University, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luhtala
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koskinen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toivanen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vainio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D000939:Epitopes