Experimental & Molecular Medicine  2015;47(3):e154-

doi:10.1038/emm.2015.7

Analyses of the TCR repertoire of MHC class II-restricted innate CD4+ T cells.

Byung Hyun KANG 1 ; Hye Sook MIN ; You Jeong LEE ; Bomi CHOI ; Eun Ji KIM ; Jonghoon LEE ; Jeong Rae KIM ; Kwang Hyun CHO ; Tae Jin KIM ; Kyeong Cheon JUNG ; Seong Hoe PARK

Affiliations

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Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

Analysis of the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire of innate CD4+ T cells selected by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-dependent thymocyte-thymocyte (T-T) interaction (T-T CD4+ T cells) is essential for predicting the characteristics of the antigens that bind to these T cells and for distinguishing T-T CD4+ T cells from other types of innate T cells. Using the TCRmini Tg mouse model, we show that the repertoire of TCRalpha chains in T-T CD4+ T cells was extremely diverse, in contrast to the repertoires previously described for other types of innate T cells. The TCRalpha chain sequences significantly overlapped between T-T CD4+ T cells and conventional CD4+ T cells in the thymus and spleen. However, the diversity of the TCRalpha repertoire of T-T CD4+ T cells seemed to be restricted compared with that of conventional CD4+ T cells. Interestingly, the frequency of the parental OT-II TCRalpha chains was significantly reduced in the process of T-T interaction. This diverse and shifted repertoire in T-T CD4+ T cells has biological relevance in terms of defense against diverse pathogens and a possible regulatory role during peripheral T-T interaction.