OBJECTIVETo analyze the drift of T cell receptor (TCR) Vα and Vβ gene family CDR3 spectratype in response to ovarian carcinoma cells mediated by an anti-human ovarian carcinoma/CD3 bispecific single-chain antibody (BHL-1), and explore the mechanism of the bispecific single-chain antibody-mediated T cell immune response.

METHODSImmunoscopic spectratyping technique was used to analyze the TCR repertoire diversity (CDR3 spectratype distribution) of the T cells from 6 healthy donors before and after stimulation of the cells with human ovarian carcinoma in the presence of BHL-1. The predominant usage of TCR α and Vβ chain CDR3 was analyzed after the stimulation, and sequence analysis was performed for the CDR3 region of the monoclonal T cells.

RESULTSThe spectratypes of Vα and Vβ gene family TCR CDR3 region showed a Gaussian distribution before stimulation of the T cells from the 6 donors. After stimulation of the T cells, CDR3 spectratype drift occurred in the T cells, and some TCR Vα and Vβ families showed an anomalous and oligoclonal expansion. Different CDR3 sequences of the Vα and Vβ gene family TCR were found in the monoclonal T cells stimulated with BHL-1.

CONCLUSIONCDR3 spectratype drift occurs in TCR α and Vβ chains of T cells after stimulation with human ovarian carcinoma cells and BHL-1, indicating that the predominant usage of TCR Vα and Vβ families is associated with the specific T cell immune response mediated by BHL-1.