title: HIV infection leads to differential expression of T-cell receptor V beta genes in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse variation in T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta gene expression in T cells in HIV-infected individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Because there are very few monoclonal antibodies available for studying TCR V beta gene expression, we used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to analyse the TCR V beta repertoire in HIV-infected individuals using specific primers for 20 distinct families of TCR V beta.
  
  
  METHODS
  Evaluation of TCR V beta gene expression in peripheral blood from HIV-1-infected individuals [two in Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stage II, five in CDC stage III and four in CDC stage IV]. Complementary DNA was produced from CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, amplified by PCR and analysed after Southern blotting and hybridization with a C beta-specific oligonucleotide probe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  V beta gene expression was dramatically modified, especially in AIDS patients. The CD4+ T-cell subset showed both overexpression (V beta 2) and deletions or underexpression (V beta 9-V beta 20), whereas these gene segments were expressed normally in the CD8+ subset. Only V beta 3 was deleted or underexpression in both CD4+ and CD8+ populations in AIDS patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV-1 infection induces CD4+ T-cell deficiency, both in total numbers and by causing a paucity of select V beta gene expression in this subset. In addition, the V beta 3 gene family was deleted or underexpressed was observed in both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subsets from patients in CDC stage IV. These results are compatible with changes in V beta gene expression known to occur under the action of endogenous or exogenous superantigens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Hodara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jeddi-Tehrani
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grunewald
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scarlatti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esin
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Holmberg
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Libonatti
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wigzell
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D015342:DNA Probes; D015870:Gene Expression; D015488:HIV Antigens; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015342:DNA Probes; D015488:HIV Antigens; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D004247:DNA