Self-reactive cytotoxic gamma delta T lymphocytes in Graves' disease specifically recognize thyroid epithelial cells.
In this paper we report the isolation of a self-reactive cytotoxic gamma delta T cell line, 158RE.2, that originates from the T lymphocyte population infiltrating the thyroid gland of a patient with Graves' disease. Functional data using this cell line demonstrate that gamma delta T cells expanded in the thyroid tissue specifically recognize a ligand expressed by thyroid epithelial cells and cell lines of endocrine epithelial origin. The TCR expressed by these gamma delta T cells--V gamma I/V delta 5--is unusual in peripheral blood lymphocytes, and its specificity is clearly different from that observed in a high percentage of gamma delta T cells from PBL, which express the common TCR V gamma 9/V delta 2. The V gamma I/V delta 5 receptor is involved in the recognition of the ligand expressed by the thyroid cells, but not in the NK-like activity also displayed by 158RE.2. These cells express CD8 alpha alpha dimers, which participate in the thyroid ligand recognition but not in the NK-like activity. The epithelial cell recognition is not restricted by classical MHC class I or class II molecules, although the CD8 alpha alpha participation in the recognition suggests the involvement of nonclassical MHC molecules. These are the first data to be presented on self-reacting gamma delta T cells in human epithelium.
Immunology Unit, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.
M
M
Catálfamo
C
C
Roura-Mir
M
M
Sospedra
P
P
Aparicio
S
S
Costagliola
M
M
Ludgate
R
R
Pujol-Borrell
D
D
Jaraquemada
D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007739:L Cells; D051379:Mice; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D006680:HLA Antigens; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta