Open AccessLongitudinal analysis of the T‐cell receptor (TCR)‐VA and ‐VB repertoire in CD8 + T cells from individuals immunized with recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen
Author(s) -
HÖHN H.,
NEUKIRCH C.,
FREITAG K.,
NECKER A.,
HITZLER W.,
SELIGER B.,
MAEURER M. J.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2249.2002.01841.x
Subject(s) - t cell receptor , biology , antigen , cd8 , immunology , cytotoxic t cell , t cell , virology , epitope , population , immune system , medicine , genetics , environmental health , in vitro
SUMMARY Recent studies have suggested that vaccination induces alterations in the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire. We investigate the diversity of the TCR repertoire after immunization with a recombinant hepatitis B surface vaccine in seven healthy subjects in CD8 + T cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Cellular immune responses were monitored over time by sorting CD8 T cells followed by TCR‐VA and ‐VB complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) analysis. Frequency of individual VB families was determined by flow cytometry. TCR‐VA/VB repertoires obtained from CD8 + T cells drawn after vaccination were compared to the TCR repertoire determined prior to vaccination. Monoclonal TCR transcripts could be detected exclusively in CD8 + , but not in CD4 + T cells. Such monoclonal TCR transcripts were either stable in some individuals, or could only be detected at certain time points after vaccination. Sorting of monoclonal TCR‐VB3 + T cells, which constituted up to 5% of the CD8 + T cell population from one individual, revealed that this T cell clone recognizes an epitope provided by the recombinant hepatitis B vaccine presented by MHC‐class I on autologous antigen‐presenting cells. Examination of the structural anatomy, defined by the TCR, and the frequency of T cells responding to the immunizing antigen may be helpful to provide surrogate markers to monitor cellular immune responses induced by protein antigens utilized for vaccination.