The adult T-cell receptor 5-chain is diverse and distinct from that of fetal thymocytes (original) (raw)

Nature volume 331, pages 627–631 (1988) Cite this article

Abstract

T lymphocytes recognize foreign molecules using the T-cell receptor (TCR), a disulphide-linked heterodimer closely associated with the CD3 polypeptide complex on the cell surface. The TCR αβ heterodimers seem largely responsible for the recognition properties of both helper (TH) and cytotoxic (Tc) T cells1,2. Recently, a second CDS-associated T-cell receptor heterodimer, γδ, has been described3–9. Cells bearing the γδ receptor appear before those bearing αβ during thymic ontogeny8,9 and persist as a minor component (1–10%) of mature peripheral T cells. Their function is unknown. As there are a limited number of functional TCR _V_γ gene segments10, the size and potential diversity of the _V_δ repertoire is important for the number of different antigens that may be recognized by γδ heterodimers. The δ-chain locus is located 75 kilobases (kb) 5′ to the TCR Cα coding region11,12, raising the possibility that the α and δ _V_-region repertoires may overlap. Also, analysis of rearrangements at the δ-chain locus in developing thymocytes shows distinct fetal and adult patterns11 indicating that there may be differences between the fetal and adult _V_delta; repertoires. To address these questions, we have characterized a large number of δ-containing complementary DNA clones from adult double-negative thymocytes (CD4–8–), an immature population that is enriched for γδ-bearing cells5. We find that a limited number of _V_δ sequences are used, showing little overlap with known adult _V_αs and differing significantly from fetal _V_δs But as two D elements may participate simultaneously in _V_δ gene assembly, and random nucleotides may be added at any one of three junctional points, the potential number of different δ chains that can be made in the adult thymus is very large (∼1013).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Microbiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
    John Francis Elliott, Edwin P. Rock, Mark M. Davis & Yueh-hsiu Chien
  2. Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
    Phillip A. Patten & Mark M. Davis
  3. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
    Phillip A. Patten & Mark M. Davis

Authors

  1. John Francis Elliott
  2. Edwin P. Rock
  3. Phillip A. Patten
  4. Mark M. Davis
  5. Yueh-hsiu Chien

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Francis Elliott, J., Rock, E., Patten, P. et al. The adult T-cell receptor 5-chain is diverse and distinct from that of fetal thymocytes.Nature 331, 627–631 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/331627a0

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