Surface expression of two distinct functional antigen receptors on human gamma delta T cells.
Lymphocytes recognize antigens with highly variable heterodimeric surface receptors. Although four distinct antigen receptors could in principle be produced by any lymphocyte, only one functional combination of receptor chains has thus far been found expressed on their surface. Examination of human gamma delta T cells revealed a population that violated this rule by expressing on their surface two distinct functional gamma delta T cell receptors (TCRs) that used different TCR gamma gene alleles. Thus, current models for T cell clonal selection may need modification, and a possible escape mechanism for autoreactive TCRs is suggested.
INSERM U211, Institut de Biologie, Nantes, France.
F
F
Davodeau
M A
MA
Peyrat
I
I
Houde
M M
MM
Hallet
G
G
De Libero
H
H
Vié
M
M
Bonneville
D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D015870:Gene Expression; D015334:Gene Rearrangement, gamma-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta