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Expression of T‐cell receptor α and β variable genes in normal and malignant human T cells
Author(s) -
Hu Huaizhong,
Queirò Màrio Rui,
Tilanus Marcel G. J.,
Weger Roel A.,
Schuurman HenkJan
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1993.tb03023.x
Subject(s) - jurkat cells , mycosis fungoides , biology , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , microbiology and biotechnology , gene family , gene , t cell , lymphoma , gene expression , cell culture , antibody , tonsil , flow cytometry , lymph node , immunology , genetics , immune system , in vitro
Summary. A PCR method was developed to analyse each of 29 families of the T cell receptor Vα gene and 20 families of the Vβ gene at the mRNA level in heterogenous cell populations. All Vα and Vβ families were detectable in blood mononuclear cells from four of six healthy donors. In two donors only Vα22 was missing, and all other Vα and Vβ families were detected. Vβ family expression was observed in T‐leukaemic cell lines Jurkat, HSB, Molt‐3 and Molt‐4. In contrast, Vα family expression was not detectable in any cell line except Jurkat cells. In T‐cell malignancies (non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma and mycosis fungoides), one or two Vα and Vβ families were detectable. Four of 10 cases investigated showed two Vα transcripts and one Vβ transcript. This fits with concepts in literature that allelic exclusion for the genes encoding α chains is not strictly required in the DNA rearrangement, or that this exclusion is a post‐translational event. Using a limited series of antibodies to Vβ gene family products, blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors were analysed by flow cytometry in a follow‐up study. Two of four donors were rather stable in proportions of T cells expressing distinct Vβ families, and two other donors showed variation in one or more families. When analysed on frozen tissue sections of normal lymph node and tonsil, there was no preferential location of lymphocytes expressing a distinct Vβ gene family in different compartments (interfollicular area, follicle, or tonsillar epithelium).