Expression profile and clonality of T-cell receptor beta variable genes in normal human endometrium

PROBLEM: In spite of their key immunological role, alphabeta+ T cells residing in endometrium have not been extensively explored. We analyzed here expression profile of TCRBV genes in normal human endometrium compared with peripheral blood. METHODS: Samples were taken from normal reproductive women. RT-PCR using BV-gene specific primers was performed on blood and endometrial samples. After blotting, hybridization with radiolabelled probe and autoradiography, relative expression of each TCRBV family was determined. Clonal expansions of the over-expressed genes were assessed by CDR3 length polymorphism. RESULTS: Only one gene (TCRBV7) was expressed significantly and two other genes marginally more in the endometrium compared with blood. All three TCRBV genes examined showed a rather restricted pattern in the endometrium in contrast to polyclonal patterns in the blood. CONCLUSION: Our results stress the similarities between T cells residing in different mucosal tissues and provide a basis for future investigations about endometrial T cells and their antigen specificities in gynecological problems.