Oligoclonality and innate-like features in the TCR repertoire of type II NKT cells reactive to a beta-linked self-glycolipid.

ABSTRACT: TCR-mediated recognition of beta-linked self-glycolipids bound to CD1d is poorly understood. Here, we have characterized the TCR repertoire of a CD1d-restricted type II NKT cell subset reactive to sulfatide involved in the regulation of autoimmunity and antitumor immunity. The sulfatide/CD1d-tetramer(+) cells isolated from naïve mice show an oligoclonal TCR repertoire with predominant usage of the Valpha3/Valpha1-Jalpha7/Jalpha9 and Vbeta8.1/Vbeta3.1-Jbeta2.7 gene segments. The CDR3 regions of both the alpha- and beta-chains are encoded by either germline or nongermline gene segments of limited lengths containing several conserved residues. Presence of dominant clonotypes with limited TCR gene usage for both TCR alpha- and beta-chains in type II NKT cells reflects specific antigen recognit

SUBMITTER: Arrenberg P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2890761 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature