Abstract
An essential property of the immune response is its ability to distinguish between self and non-self and to generate enormous diversity in antibody and T-cell immune responses. Although the genetic and molecular mechanisms responsible for antibody diversity have now largely been elucidated, the structure of the T-cell receptor and the diversification of the receptor repertoire have only recently become amenable to study. One approach has involved immunochemical studies of the protein precipitated by monoclonal antibodies which react specifically with the immunizing T-cell clones1–3. Another approach has been to clone and sequence a human4 or a murine5 T-cell specific message that may specify part of the T-cell receptor. We present here results of Southern blot analysis of non-T, immature T, and mature T-cell genomic DNA, and provide evidence that rearrangements of the YT35 sequences do occur in the DNA of thymic leukaemia T cells. This suggests that YT35 codes for at least part of the T-cell receptor and that rearrangements occur at this early stage of thymic ontogeny. Furthermore, DNA rearrangements are present in lymphocytes with phenotypic and functional characteristics of helper, killer, or suppressor T cells. We conclude that the three subpopulations of T cells operate via receptor molecules encoded by the same gene family.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Acuto, O. et al. Cell 34, 717–726 (1983).
Kappler, J. et al. Cell 34, 727–737 (1983).
McIntyre, B. W. & Allison, J. P. Cell 34, 739–746 (1983).
Yanagi, Y. et al. Nature 308, 145–149 (1984).
Hedricks, S. M., Nielsen, S. M., Kavaler, J., Cohen, D. T. & Davis, M. Nature 308, 153–158 (1984).
Southern, E. M. J. molec. Biol. 38, 503–517 (1975).
Suciu-Foca, N., Rohowsky, C., Kung, P. & King, D. W. J. exp. Med. 156, 283–288 (1982).
Suciu-Foca, N., Rohowsky, C., Kung, P. & King, D. W. Hum. Immun. 9, 37–47 (1984).
Korsmeyer, S. J. et al. J. clin. Invest. 71, 301–313 (1983).
Honjo, T. A. Rev. Immun., 1, 499–528 (1983).
Tonegawa, S. Nature 302, 575–581 (1983).
Owen, F. L. Immunology Today 3, 95–96 (1982).
Sredni, B. & Schwartz, R. H. Nature 287, 855–857 (1980).
Abromson-Leeman, S. R. & Cantor, M. J. exp. Med. 158, 428–437 (1983).
Yoshikai, Y. et al. Nature 310, 506–508 (1984).
Suciu-Foca, N., Rohowsky, C., Kung, P. & King, D. W. J. exp. Med. 156, 283–288 (1982).
Krensky, A. M., Reiss, C. S., Mier, J. W., Strominger, J. L. & Burakoff, S. J. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 2365–2369 (1982).
Fauci, A. S. & Pratt, K. R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 73, 3676–3679 (1976).
Yamamoto, Y. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 6893–6897 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Toyonaga, B., Yanagi, Y., Suciu-Foca, N. et al. Rearrangements of T-cell receptor gene YT35 in human DNA from thymic leukaemia T-cell lines and functional T-cell clones. Nature 311, 385–387 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/311385a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/311385a0
This article is cited by
-
From the T-cell receptor to cancer therapy: an interview with Tak W. Mak
Cell Death & Differentiation (2021)
-
T lymphocytes in synovia of patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Springer Seminars in Immunopathology (1988)
-
T-cell receptors of human suppressor cells
Nature (1987)
-
T-cell receptor gene rearrangements and expression in normal human large granular lymphocytes (LGL) and their pathological expansions
Cytotechnology (1987)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
