Premium
Crucial function of the pre‐T‐cell receptor (TCR) in TCRP selection, TCRβ allelic exclusion and αβ versus γδ lineage commitment
Author(s) -
Boehmer Harald,
Aifantis Iannis,
Azogui Orly,
Feinberg Jacqueline,
SaintRuf Claude,
Zober Carole,
Garcia Corinne,
Buer Jan
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
immunological reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.839
H-Index - 223
eISSN - 1600-065X
pISSN - 0105-2896
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-065x.1998.tb01234.x
Subject(s) - t cell receptor , allelic exclusion , biology , lineage (genetic) , gene rearrangement , negative selection , t cell , receptor , function (biology) , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , immune system , genome
Summary: The analysis of T‐cell receptor (TCR) βselection, TCRβ allelic exclusion and TCRβ rearrangement in γδ T cells from normal and pre‐TCR‐deficient mice has shown that the pre‐TCR has a crucial role in T‐lyinpbocyte development:* The pre‐TCR is by far the most effective receptor that generates large numbers of CD4 + 8 + T cells with productive TCRβ rearrangements. * In the absence of the pre‐TCR, TCRβ rearrangement proceeds in developing cells irrespective of whether they already contain a productive TCRβ gene. * The pre‐TCR directs developing T cells to the αβ lineage because y5 T cells from pTα ‐/‐ mice proceed much further in TCRβ rearrangement than γδ T cells from wild‐type mice. It is argued that the pre‐TCR commits developing T cells to the αβ lineage by an instructive mechanism, which has largely replaced an evolutionarily more ancient mechanism that involves stochastic αβ lineage commitment.