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.
Roark
C E
CE
National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Denver, CO 80206.
Vollmer
M K
MK
Cranfill
R L
RL
Carding
S R
SR
Born
W K
WK
O'Brien
R L
RL
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