Trans-acting regulatory factors for T cell antigen receptor alpha- and gamma-chain gene expression

BALB/c mouse thymoma-derived T cell line, CAK4.4 (Thy-1+, L3T4-, Lyt-2-), produced a large amount of TCR-gamma mRNA, a trace amount of TCR-beta mRNA but no detectable level of TCR-alpha mRNA. Another BALB/c mouse thymoma-derived T cell line, CAK1.3 (Thy-1+, L3T4+, Lyt-2+), synthesized a high level of TCR-alpha as well as TCR-beta mRNA but did not produce any amount of TCR-gamma mRNA. HAT-sensitive clones were established from the two T cell lines. Azaguanine-resistant, HPRT- CAK4.4 cells and bromodeoxyuridine-resistant, TK- CAK1.3 cells were fused by electrofusion method and the resultant hybrids were analyzed for expression of TCR genes as well as the changes of their cell surface phenotypes. Transcription of TCR-gamma gene was completely suppressed in all hybrids tested, although Southern blot analysis showed that the hybrids maintained TCR-gamma chain genes derived from both parental cells. TCR-alpha gene transcription occurred normally in one hybrid. In two other hybrids, TCR-alpha gene transcription was strongly suppressed. Treatment of the hybrid cells with 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate reversed the suppression of TCR-alpha gene transcription, but TCR-gamma gene transcription was not recovered by the same treatment. However, transcription level of TCR-beta gene was not changed in all hybrids. Our results suggested that the different trans-acting regulatory mechanisms control the transcription levels of TCR-alpha and TCR-gamma genes and that such a transcriptional control may play a crucial role in the determination of orderly appearance of TCR-gamma and TCR-alpha gene products during T cell ontogeny in the thymus.