Human TCR alpha/beta+ CD4-CD8- double-negative T cells in patients with autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome express restricted Vbeta TCR diversity and are clonally related to CD8+ T cells

J Immunol. 2008 Jul 1;181(1):440-8. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.181.1.440.

Abstract

The peripheral expansion of alpha/beta+-CD4-CD8- double negative (DN) T cells in patients with autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) is a consistent feature of this disease, and part of the diagnostic criteria of ALPS. The origin of these cells remains undetermined. They could derive from mature T cells that have lost coreceptor expression, or represent a special minor cell lineage. To investigate relationship of DN and single positive (SP) T cells in ALPS, we used Immunoscope technology to analyze the TCRVbeta repertoire diversity of sorted DN and SP T cells, and we performed CDR3 sequence analyses of matching clonotypes. We show that DN T cells express all the Vbeta gene families that are used by their SP counterparts, though they dominantly use some Vbeta genes. Analysis of CDR3 length distribution revealed a diverse polyclonal TCR repertoire for sorted CD4+ T cells, whereas both DN and CD8+ T cells showed a skewed TCR repertoire with oligoclonal expansions throughout most of the Vbeta families. CDR3 sequencing of matching clonotypes revealed a significant sharing of CDR3 sequences from selected Vbeta-Jbeta transcripts between DN and CD8+ T cells. Altogether, these data strongly argue for a CD8 origin of DN T cells in ALPS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Autoantigens / chemistry
  • Autoantigens / genetics
  • Autoantigens / immunology
  • Autoimmune Diseases / genetics
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / metabolism
  • Base Sequence
  • CD4 Antigens / immunology
  • CD8 Antigens / immunology
  • Cell Separation
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / genetics
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / immunology*
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / metabolism
  • Male
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phenotype
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / genetics
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / immunology*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / metabolism
  • Sequence Analysis, Protein
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Transcription, Genetic / genetics

Substances

  • Autoantigens
  • CD4 Antigens
  • CD8 Antigens
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta