Helper activity of chicken V beta 1+ and V beta 2+ alpha beta T cells for in vitro IgA antibody synthesis.
Chickens have only two T cell receptor variable beta gene families: V beta 1 and V beta 2 (1). In our previous work we found that IgA production was almost completely suppressed in chickens depleted of V beta 1+ alpha beta T cells by treatment with a TCR V beta 1-specific monoclonal antibody (2), while IgM and IgG production was not affected. Our present results indicate that, in vitro, both V beta 1+ and V beta 2+ chicken cecal tonsil T cells provide help for the differentiation of cecal tonsil IgA B cells, suggesting that the failure of V beta 1+ T cell-depleted chickens to produce IgA is not caused by the inability of V beta 2+ T cells to provide help for IgA production by B cells, but rather by the scarcity of these T cells in mucosal tissues (3), where most IgA responses are induced (4).
Merkle
H
H
Institute for Animal Physiology, University of Munich, Germany.
Cihak
J
J
Mehmke
S
S
Stangassinger
M
M
Lösch
U
U
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002432:Cecum / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta