A NK1.1+ thymocyte-derived TCR beta-chain transgene promotes positive selection of thymic NK1.1+ alpha beta T cells.
As a consequence of the peptide specificity of intrathymic positive selection, mice transgenic for a rearranged TCR beta-chain derived from conventional alphabeta T lymphocytes frequently carry mature T cells with significant skewing in the repertoire of the companion alpha-chain. To assess the generality of such an influence, we generated transgenic (Tg) mice expressing a beta-chain derived from nonclassical, NK1.1+ alphabeta T cells, the thymus-derived, CD1. 1-specific DN32H6 T cell hybridoma. Results of the sequence analysis of genomic DNA from developing DN32H6 beta Tg thymocytes revealed that the frequency of the parental alpha-chain sequence, in this instance the Valpha14-Jalpha281 canonical alpha-chain, is specifically and in a CD1.1-dependent manner, increased in the postselection thymocyte population. In accordance, we found phenotypic and functional evidence for an increased frequency of thymic, but interestingly not peripheral, NK1.1+ alphabeta T cells in DN32H6 beta Tg mice, possibly indicating a thymic determinant-dependent maintenance. Thus, in vivo expression of the rearranged TCR beta-chain from a thymus-derived NK1.1+ Valpha14+ T cell hybridoma promotes positive selection of thymic NK1.1+ alphabeta T cells. These observations indicate that the strong influence of productive beta-chain rearrangements on the TCR sequence and specificity of developing thymocytes, which operates through positive selection on self-determinants, applies to both classical and nonclassical alphabeta T cells and therefore represents a general phenomenon in intrathymic alphabeta T lymphocyte development.
Viret
C
C
Section of Immunobiology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
Lantz
O
O
He
X
X
Bendelac
A
A
Janeway
C A
CA
D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018949:Antigens, CD1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D015332:Gene Rearrangement, alpha-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D019674:Genes, T-Cell Receptor beta / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008024:Ligands; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019076:Transgenes / Q000276:immunology*
D000941:Antigens; D018949:Antigens, CD1; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; C527211:Klrb1c protein, mouse; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008024:Ligands; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D011506:Proteins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta