Recruitment of multiple V beta genes in the TCR repertoire against a single pathogenic thyroglobulin epitope

In autoimmune thyroid disease, the question whether thyroid-infiltrating, autoreactive T cells are derived from a polyclonal or oligoclonal subset has been the subject of considerable debate. In this report, we have examined the T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta profile of mouse clonal T cells responding to a single thyroiditogenic epitope, the As-restricted, 9mer mouse thyroglobulin (MTg) peptide (2496-04). In vitro recall assays based on lymph node cell (LNC) proliferation and cytokine release demonstrated that this peptide is a minimal T-cell epitope inducing a T-helper 1 (Th1) type of response in SJL hosts. A panel of cloned, interleukin-2 (IL-2)-secreting hybridomas was generated from this Th1 subset and their TCR-V beta gene utilization was assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Ten clones derived from two independent fusions were found to utilize three V beta gene families (V beta 2, 4, and 17). To the extent that Tg or other thyroid autoantigens encompass multiple pathogenic epitopes it appears unlikely from these data that a restricted TCR-V beta chain usage will be a general characteristic of thyroiditogenic T cells.