title: Self-recognition and the biased mature repertoire in TCR beta transgenic mice: the exception that supports the rule.
abstract: Detailed sequence analysis of the companion alpha chains in several T-cell receptor (TCR) beta chain transgenic mice have shown that the mature alpha chain repertoires of CD4+ T cells are biased toward the parental TCR alpha chain sequences. These studies further indicate that it is self-peptide-self-MHC recognition during positive intrathymic selection that biases the structure of the mature TCR alpha chain repertoire. To further establish the causative relationship, it is important to examine whether such a bias can be abolished when positive selection is absent. The human collagen IV-I-A(s) complex-specific KB TCR cannot be positively selected on the self-peptide-self-MHC complexes present in the I-A(s) strain. Therefore, the KB TCR beta chain transgenic mice offer a unique opportunity for addressing this issue.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Viret
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Janeway
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens; D015332:Gene Rearrangement, alpha-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta