Liver gamma delta T cells. TCR junctions reveal differences in heat shock protein-60-reactive cells in liver and spleen.
The liver of mice contains elevated percentages of gamma delta T cells when compared with peripheral lymphoid organs. We have now analyzed these cells clonally, by generating a random collection of liver gamma delta T cell hybridomas and sequencing the productively rearranged TCR-gamma and -delta genes in each hybridoma clone. Examining C57BL/10 mice of various ages, we have found that over half of their normal gamma delta T cells are one of two types, V delta 4+ or V delta 6.3+. gamma delta T cell hybridomas generated from mouse liver contain clones that are "spontaneously" reactive, and respond to purified protein derivative from mycobacteria and to a 17-amino acid peptide from mycobacterial heat shock protein-60 (HSP-60). Like similar cells found in newborn thymus or adult spleen, all of the cells showing this HSP-60 reactivity pattern were found to express V gamma 1-J gamma 4-C gamma 4, most in conjunction with V delta 6-J delta 1-C delta, particularly with V delta 6.3. However, the gamma and delta junctional sequences of the V gamma 1/V delta 6+ cells isolated from adult liver differed from those found in adult spleen; being less diverse, their receptors instead resemble those of similar cells from newborn thymus. These data suggest that HSP-60-reactive gamma delta cells in adult murine liver and spleen are independent of each other and may be resident in their respective sites.
National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Denver, CO 80206.
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Roark
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Vollmer
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Cranfill
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Carding
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Born
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O'Brien
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000276:immunology; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta