TCR gamma delta+ cells are prominent in normal bovine skin and express a diverse repertoire of antigen receptors.
More than 80% of T cells in bovine skin localized in the superficial 0.5 mm of the dermis. Only 3% occurred within the epidermis or made contact with the stratum basale while the remainder occupied deeper dermal sites. The gamma delta-T-cell receptor (TCR) was expressed by 44% of T cells in skin and 39% and 35% expressed, respectively, the CD4 and CD8 markers. Some cells co-expressed CD8 and the gamma delta TCR. A highly diverse repertoire of gamma delta TCR was expressed in skin due mainly to the usage of multiple V delta segments and to extensive sequence variation at the junctions of both TCR gamma and TCR delta chains. However, a single receptor isotype was used. Transcripts encoding several new components of the bovine gamma delta TCR were identified, including three new V gamma segments, the C gamma 5 region and 13 new functional V delta segments. Taken together with earlier findings, these results emphasize that ruminant gamma delta T cells express exceptionally diverse antigen receptors and suggest they may have a more elaborate recognitive capacity than do their counterparts in other species.
Hein
W R
WR
Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland.
Dudler
L
L
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle / Q000276:immunology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin / Q000235:genetics; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007127:Immunoglobulin Constant Regions / Q000235:genetics; D007133:Immunoglobulin Joining Region / Q000235:genetics; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis*; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
D007127:Immunoglobulin Constant Regions; D007133:Immunoglobulin Joining Region; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta