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Thyroglobulin-induced murine thyroiditis assessed by intrathyroidal T cell receptor sequencing
N Matsuoka1, P Unger, A Ben-Nun
1Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029.
Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
|March 1, 1994
Summary
Thyroiditis involves T cells recognizing thyroglobulin (Tg). This study reveals specific T cell receptor V beta gene families are overused in thyroiditis, suggesting V gene importance over CDR3 sequences for antigen recognition.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Thyroiditis involves immune system attack on the thyroid gland.
- T cell receptor (TCR) V beta gene families play a role in antigen recognition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the T cell receptor V beta gene usage in murine thyroglobulin-induced thyroiditis.
- To determine if specific V beta gene families are preferentially expanded in thyroid infiltrates.
Main Methods:
- RNA extraction from thyroid glands of mice with induced thyroiditis.
- Reverse transcription and PCR to detect murine T cell receptor (mTCR) V beta families.
- Southern analysis and sequence analysis of PCR fragments.
Main Results:
- A biased expression of mTCR V beta gene families was observed in intrathyroidal T cells.
- Tg-specific T cell lines also showed biased V beta gene usage.
- Evidence of oligoclonal expansion in thyroid infiltrates was found, with some shared CDR3 sequences.
Conclusions:
- mTCR V gene analysis reflects infiltrating T cells in thyroid tissue.
- Oligoclonal expansion occurs in early thyroiditis.
- Certain V beta gene families may be crucial for T cell recognition of thyroglobulin in H-2k context.
- V gene may be more significant than N-D-N sequences in thyroid antigen recognition.