Characterization and expression of the human T cell receptor-T3 complex by monoclonal antibody F101.01

A murine monoclonal antibody (MoAb) F101.01 reacting with the T cell receptor (TCR)-T3 complex is presented. Immunohistological studies showed that F101.01 specifically stains T-zone lymphocytes in lymph nodes, tonsils, and splenic tissue. Two-colour immunofluorescence and flow cytometry demonstrated co-expression of the antigen defined by F101.01 and the pan-T cell antigens defined by CD2, CD3, CD5, and CD7 antibodies. Cells stained with CD4 and CD8 antibodies were both included in the F101.01-positive population, whereas CD16-positive natural killer cells (NK), B cells (CD19 and CD20), and myeloid cells (CD13 and CD33) were excluded. The target antigen of F101.01 co-modulated with the CD3-defined antigen (T3) and the TCR recognized by the MoAb WT-31. CD3 antibody and WT-31 both blocked binding of F101.01. F101.01 precipitated the TCR-T3 complex from lysates of 125I-labelled peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and HPB-ALL, when the lysate was prepared with a detergent (digitonin) that conserves the TCR-T3 complex. FACS analysis of T cells from a patient with a T cell immunodeficiency demonstrated that delta-TCS-1-CD3+CD4+ and delta-TCS-1-CD3+CD8+ cells were brightly F101.01+, whereas a large subpopulation of delta-TCS-1+CD3+CD4-CD8- cells were weakly F101.01+. We conclude that F101.01 recognizes a conformational epitope of the TCR-T3 complex and that it reacts with the alpha beta TCR-T3 and the gamma delta TCR-T3 complexes with different intensities.