title: Lack of directed V alpha 14-J alpha 281 rearrangements in NK1+ T cells.
abstract: NK1.1+ T cells are an unusual subset of TCR alpha beta cells distinguished by their highly restricted V beta repertoire and predominant usage of an invariant V alpha 14-J alpha 281 chain. To assess whether a directed rearrangement mechanism could be responsible for this invariant alpha chain, we have analyzed V alpha 14 rearrangements by polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot in a panel of cloned T-T hybrids derived from thymic NK1.1+ T cells. As expected a high proportion (17/20) of the hybrids had rearranged V alpha 14 to J alpha 281. However, V alpha 14-J alpha 281 rearrangements always occurred on only one chromosome and were accompanied by other V alpha-J alpha rearrangements (not involving V alpha 14) on the homologous chromosome. These data argue that rigorous ligand selection rather than directed rearrangement is responsible for the high frequency of V alpha 14-J alpha 281 rearrangements in NK1.1+ T cells.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimamura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohteki
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Beutner
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: MacDonald
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000737:chemistry; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D051379:Mice; D008806:Mice, Inbred AKR; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; C527211:Klrb1c protein, mouse; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D011506:Proteins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; C045084:invariant chain