2 research outputs found
Positive and Negative Selection in Transgenic Mice Expressing a T-Cell Receptor Specific for Influenza Nucleoprotein and Endogenous Superantigen
A transgenic mouse was generated expressing on most (>80%) of thymocytes and
peripheral T cells a T-cell receptor isolated from a cytotoxic T-cell clone (F5). This clone
is CD8+ and recognizes αα366-374 of the nucleoprotein (NP 366-374) of influenza virus
(A/NT/60/68), in the context of Class ,MHC Db (Townsend et al., 1986). The receptor
utilizes the Vβ11 and Vα4 gene segments for the β chain and α chain, respectively
(Palmer et al., 1989). The usage of Vβ11 makes this TcR reactive to Class II IE molecules
and an endogenous ligand recently identified as a product of the endogenous mammary
tumour viruses (Mtv) 8, 9, and 11 (Dyson et al., 1991). Here we report the development
of F5 transgenic T cells and their function in mice of the appropriate MHC (C57BL/10
H-2b, IE-) or in mice expressing Class II MHC IE (e.g., CBA/Ca H-2k and BALB/c H-2d)
and the endogenous Mtv ligands. Positive selection of CD8+ T cells expressing the Vβ11
is seen in C57BL/10 transgenic mice (H-2b). Peripheral T cells from these mice are
capable of killing target cells in an antigen-dependent manner after a period of in vitro
culture with IL-2. In the presence of Class II MHC IE molecules and the endogenous
Mtv ligand, most of the single-positive cells carrying the transgenic T-cell receptor are
absent in the thymus. Unexpectedly, CD8+ peripheral T-cells in these (H-2k or H-2d) F5
mice are predominantly Vβ11 positive and also have the capacity to kill targets in an
antigen-dependent manner. This is true even following backcrossing of the F5 TcR
transgene to H-2d scid/scid mice, in which functional rearrangement of endogenous TcR
alpha- and beta-chain genes is impaired