Biased T cell receptor V beta gene usage during specific stages of the development of autoimmune sialadenitis in the MRL/lpr mouse model of Sjögren's syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the repertoire of T cell receptor (TCR) V beta gene transcribed and expressed within the autoimmune lesions of the salivary gland in the MRL/lpr mouse model of Sjögren's syndrome.


METHODS
Monoclonal antibodies (MAb) were used to determine the prevalence of selected V gene elements on T cell infiltrates from salivary glands of MRL/lpr mice. To analyze TCR V beta gene usage, we used reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analyses.


RESULTS
A predominance of V beta 8+ T cells was detected within the inflammatory lesions during development of autoimmune disease (confirmed by flow cytometry). RT-PCR analysis revealed that in autoimmune sialadenitis, the predominant expression of the V beta 8 gene segment began in the early stages of disease (2-month-old mice) and increased over time. Extensive age-related diversity of TCR V beta gene usage was also observed. SSCP analysis demonstrated a distinct and common binding pattern of the V beta 8 gene PCR product from the cell infiltrates during the course of the disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that in the MRL/lpr mouse model of Sjögren's syndrome, there is restricted usage of TCR V beta elements according to the stage of the disease, and that V beta 8 are probably used preferentially in the recognition of a single unknown self antigen in the salivary gland.
Hayashi
Y
Y
Department of Pathology, Tokushima University School of Dentistry, Japan.
Hamano
H
H
Haneji
N
N
Ishimaru
N
N
Yanagi
K
K
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002452:Cell Count; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D012793:Sialadenitis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell