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Biased T cell receptor Vβ gene expression in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from Japanese patients with sarcoidosis
Author(s) -
Yoshitomi Atsushi,
Sato Atsuhiko,
Hayakawa Hiroshi,
Chida Kingo,
Toyoshima Mikio,
Uchijima Masato,
Yoshida Atsushi,
Koide Yukio
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
respirology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1440-1843
pISSN - 1323-7799
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1843.1999.00202.x
Subject(s) - sarcoidosis , medicine , bronchoalveolar lavage , immunology , pathogenesis , gene , polymerase chain reaction , receptor , antigen , pathology , microbiology and biotechnology , lung , biology , genetics
Objective : Sarcoidosis is believed to be one of the T cell‐mediated granulomatous diseases with unknown aetiology. We attempt to search for the causative T cell clones of sarcoidosis. Methods : We study T cell receptor β‐chain variable region (Vβ) repertoire in peripheral blood (PB) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from patients with sarcoidosis, using semi‐quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction method. The expression of 22 kinds of Vβ genes is examined in 17 patients with sarcoidosis and nine normal subjects. Results : Compared with control subjects, the group with sarcoidosis exhibits significantly high expressions of the Vβ2 ( P < 0.005, Wilcoxon’s test) and Vβ6 ( P = 0.005) genes in BALF. In each BALF sample, the Vβ2 ( P < 0.01, χ 2 test) and Vβ6 ( P < 0.01) genes were overexpressed (> 2 SD above the mean value for each Vβ observed in control subjects) in 11 and 10 of 17 patients with sarcoidosis, respectively. Furthermore, the amino acid sequences of Vβ6 + complementarity determining region 3 were conserved in one of three patients. There is, however, no disposition of Vβ gene usage in PB from patients with sarcoidosis compared with control subjects. Conclusions : The T lymphocytes with Vβ2 and/or Vβ6 are associated with the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis. The possibility exists that these T lymphocytes might be capable of recognizing the restricted antigens, thereby inducing oligoclonal expansion.