Clonal expansions of CD8(+) T cells dominate the T cell infiltrate in active multiple sclerosis lesions as shown by micromanipulation and single cell polymerase chain reaction.
Clonal composition and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells infiltrating actively demyelinating multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions were determined with unprecedented resolution at the level of single cells. Individual CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cells were isolated from frozen sections of lesional tissue by micromanipulation and subjected to single target amplification of TCR-beta gene rearrangements. This strategy allows the assignment of a TCR variable region (V region) sequence to the particular T cell from which it was amplified. Sequence analysis revealed that in both cases investigated, the majority of CD8(+) T cells belonged to few clones. One of these clones accounted for 35% of CD8(+) T cells in case 1. V region sequence comparison revealed signs of selection for common peptide specificities for some of the CD8(+) T cells in case 1. In both cases, the CD4(+) T cell population was more heterogeneous. Most CD4(+) and CD8(+) clones were represented in perivascular infiltrates as well as among parenchymal T cells. In case 2, two of the CD8(+) clones identified in brain tissue were also detected in peripheral blood. Investigation of the antigenic specificities of expanded clones may help to elucidate their functional properties.
Institute for Genetics, Institute for Pathology, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany.
H
H
Babbe
A
A
Roers
A
A
Waisman
H
H
Lassmann
N
N
Goebels
R
R
Hohlfeld
M
M
Friese
R
R
Schröder
M
M
Deckert
S
S
Schmidt
R
R
Ravid
K
K
Rajewsky
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002999:Clone Cells; D005260:Female; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics
D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta