Derivation of T-cell receptor α-chain double expresser lines from normal murine mature T cells.

Because the T-cell receptor (TCR) α-chain locus is known to lack allelic exclusion of rearrangements, and as a recent report revealed the existence of α-chain double expressers among normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), the possible existence of TCR α-chain double expressers among mature routine T cells was examined. Although two-colour staining analysis of normal T-cell populations did not immediately reveal recognizable clusters of Vet double expressers, alternative/n vitro stimulations of normal murine T cells with antibodies to two different TCR Vα chains reproducibly induced TCR α-chain double-expresser lines. TCR complexes with different α-chains on such T cells were both shown to be functional. The cell lines were heterogeneous with respect to Vβ usage and the ratio of the expressed amounts of the two α-chains on the surface. The ratio of the two expressed α-chains was found to be very stable over a long period of time. These results are consistent with the earlier report on α-chain double expressers among human T cells and also show normal occurrence of TCR α-chain double expressers in routine T-cell populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]