OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of T cell receptor (TCR) BD2-BJ2 gene rearrangement on the complementary-determining region (CDR) 3 of TCR beta chain (TCR BV CDR3) in Jurkat cells.

METHODSTCR BV gene subfamilies were detected by RT-PCR in Jurkat cells during proliferation and after induction with non-specific T cell activators and SEA, respectively. To determine the clonality of TCR BV subfamilies and the lengths of CDR3, the PCR products were analyzed by TCR GeneScan technique, and the sequences of CDR3 were further analyzed by DNA sequencer.

RESULTSNo new TCR BV subfamilies were found in Jurkat cells, a monoclonal BV8(+)cell line, either during cell proliferation or after stimulation with different treatments, nor were any differences found in CDR3 size or sequences.

CONCLUSIONTCR BD2-BJ2 rearrangement in Jurkat cells may not play a role in modification of TCR BV CDR3 domains or the consequent antigen immunorecognition of BV CDR3, but the possibility of TCR modification can not be excluded.