Constitutive biological activity of thymus-independent TCR-alpha-beta+ intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes in TCR-alpha-/- gene disruption mice.
The surface of alpha beta T cells express a heterodimeric T cell receptor (TCR) composed of an alpha- and a beta-chain. In TCR-alpha gene disruption mutant mice, T cells can be identified which surface-express the TCR-beta chain in the absence of the TCR-alpha chain. Characteristically, intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (i-IELs) constitutively express biological functions which are demonstrable after TCR ligation by mAb. We here describe a small, but distinct population of TCR-alpha-beta+ i-IEL in TCR-alpha-/- mice. These cells used a restricted V beta repertoire skewed towards V beta 8 or V beta 14 and most of them expressed the CD4 coreceptor. TCR-beta ligation by specific mAb induced cytolytic activity in these TCR-alpha-beta+ i-IELs. Our findings reveal that TCR-alpha-beta+ i-IELs express biological activities and suggest that they develop independent of the thymus.
Neuhaus
O
O
Department of Immunology, University of Ulm, Germany.
Emoto
M
M
Kaufmann
S H
SH
D000818:Animals; D017353:Gene Deletion; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010641:Phenotype; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology
D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta