Oligoclonal T cells in rheumatoid arthritis: identification strategy and molecular characterization of a clonal T-cell receptor

U Korthäuer, B Hennerkes, H Menninger, H W Mages, J Zacher, A J Potocnik, F Emmrich, R A Kroczek

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Immunodominant antigens in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) should induce an expansion of T cells bearing a corresponding T-cell receptor (TCR). We therefore analysed the TCR repertoire at the site of inflammation using two fundamentally different strategies. The total TCR repertoire was examined by generating 'representative' T-cell clone panels, which were subsequently tested for clonality by restriction mapping of the TCR beta gene locus. No clonality was detected in large T-cell clone panels generated with cells from three patients. However, when we selectively analysed the TCR repertoire of in vivo pre-activated, interleukin-2 (IL-2)-responsive T cells, significant T-cell/TCR clonality was found in 2 out of 4 patients. The clonal T cells represented a minority of the total T-cell population with an estimated frequency of 1 in 300 to 1 in 1000 cells. Molecular characterization of a clonal TCR and the use of a specific TCR V beta MoAb ruled out an over-representation of T cells bearing the same V beta element in the total T-cell population, rendering the involvement of super-antigens in the induction of T-cell clonality in this case unlikely.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)855-63
Number of pages9
JournalScandinavian Journal of Immunology
Volume36
Issue number6
Publication statusPublished - Dec 1992

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid
  • Base Sequence
  • Blotting, Southern
  • Clone Cells
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
  • Synovial Fluid
  • T-Lymphocytes

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