T cell receptor V alpha gene usage in human T cells stimulated with SEE and SED

V alpha gene usage in human T cells stimulated with SEE and SED was investigated by using polymerase chain reaction with specific primers. V beta 8 T cells from normal blood donors PBMC were sorted at day 5 after stimulation with SEE and analysed for TCR-V alpha gene usage. Whole T cells stimulated with anti-CD3 MoAb or SED were also analysed and compared at different time points after stimulation. There was no biased V alpha gene usage found as a response to either of the two superantigens. These results show that V alpha gene usage of human T cells stimulated with SEE or SED is normal.