Analysis of the TCR Vgamma repertoire in healthy donors and HIV-1-infected individuals.
During the course of infection with HIV-1, striking alterations in the subset distribution of peripheral blood gammadelta T cells are observed. While TCR Vdelta2 expression dominates among peripheral blood gammadelta T cells in healthy adults, there is a clear preponderance of Vdelta1 cells in HIV-1-infected persons. In this study, we present the first flow cytometry (FCM) analysis of the complete TCR Vgamma gene repertoire in HIV-1-infected individuals using a panel of mAb against all expressed Vgamma genes. The quantitative analysis of TCR Vgamma transcripts after amplification of cDNA by inverse PCR suggested that Vgamma5 usage is increased in HIV-1+ donors. This was confirmed by FCM with a new anti-Vgamma5 mAb. In addition, all members of the TCR VgammaI gene family (i.e. Vgamma2, 3, 4, 5 and 8) were expressed on significantly higher percentages of gammadelta T cells in HIV+ as compared to HIV- donors, whereas VgammaII (Vgamma9) expression was drastically reduced. No preferential association of the expanded Vdelta1+ cells with a particular Vgamma gene was observed in HIV-1 + donors. These results indicate that the increase in Vgamma1+ cells during HIV-1 infection occurs independently of the Vgamma gene usage and support the hypothesis that a Vdelta1-selective ligand might be involved.
Department of Immunology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Langen, Germany.
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D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D019921:Biotinylation; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D019675:Genes, T-Cell Receptor gamma / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010799:Phycoerythrin; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019809:Streptavidin; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D010799:Phycoerythrin; D019809:Streptavidin; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate