Human HLA-A0201-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte recognition of influenza A is dominated by T cells bearing the V beta 17 gene segment.
The major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response is important in the clearance of viral infections in humans. After influenza A infection, a peptide from the matrix protein, M58-66, is presented in the context of the MHC allele HLA-A0201 and the resulting CTL response is detectable in most HLA-A0201 subjects. An initial study suggested that M58-66-specific CTL clones show conserved T cell receptor (TCR) alpha and beta gene segments. We have addressed the significance of this observation by determining the expression of V beta 17 during the development of M58-66-specific CTL lines in 21 unrelated HLA-A0201 subjects, and analyzing TCR usage by M58-66-specific CTL clones. TCR V beta 17 was the dominant V beta segment used and CD8 V beta 17 expansion correlated with M58-66-specific lysis. Limiting dilution analysis from five subjects showed the M58-66 CTL precursor frequency to vary between 1/54,000 and less than 1/250,000, and that up to 85% of the matrix peptide (M58-66)-specific CTL used the V beta 17 gene segment. The M58-66 specific CTL response was dependent on previous viral exposure and specific V beta 17 expansion, as it was not found in cord blood, despite a readily expandable V beta 17+ CD8+ T cell subpopulation. Sequence analysis of 38 M58-66-specific V beta 17 transcripts from 13 subjects revealed extensive conservation in the CDR3 region including conservation of an arginine-serine motif. To test the dependence of this CTL response on the V beta 17 gene segment, peripheral blood lymphocytes were depleted of CD8+ TCR V beta 17+ cells, before the generation of M58-66-specific CTL. In most cases such depletion blocked or severely reduced the generation of the M58-66-specific response, and under limiting dilution conditions could abolish M58-66-specific CTL precursors. These studies reveal the dependence of this natural human immune response on a particular TCR gene segment.
Lehner
P J
PJ
Department of Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff.
Wang
E C
EC
Moss
P A
PA
Williams
S
S
Platt
K
K
Friedman
S M
SM
Bell
J I
JI
Borysiewicz
L K
LK
D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002999:Clone Cells; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta