title: Rapid detection of clonal expansion of T-cell receptor-beta gene in patients with HBV using the real-time PCR with DNA melting curve analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The gene melting spectral pattern (GMSP) of PCR products from 24 T-cell receptor beta chain variable (TCRBV) gene families was developed to determine sequence bias and feature of TCRBV CDR3 gene family.
  
  
  METHODS
  The assay was based on reverse transcript quantitative polymerase chain reaction and their DNA melting curves.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We discovered that the relatively conserved amino acid sequences X-Q and X-G are present in TCRBV CDR3 from patients with HBV. Further, the X of the X-Q motif is preferentially E (glutamic acid), P (proline) or T (threonine) when accompanied by the BJ2.7, BJ1.5, or BJ2.3, respectively. The frequency of sequence bias in the TCRBV gene family showed a positive correlation with the T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) content, and an inverse correlation with the HBV DNA loading.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the GMSP assay could be used to monitor the features of TCRBV gene distribution quickly, and facilitate the further study of HBV-specific T cell in patients with HBV.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou.
authors.forename: Jie-Zuan
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ming-Wei
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-Guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hai-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xin-Sheng
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Jian-Qin
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Lan-Juan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Li