Restricted and Individual Usage of T-cell Receptor β-Gene Variables in Nickel-Induced CD4+ and CD8+ Cells

Nickel allergy is manifested as contact allergic eczema elicited by delayed-type hypersensitivity, the reaction being mediated by T lymphocytes. We examined the T-cell receptor (TCR) β-chain variable gene segment (Vβ) use of nickel-induced CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in the peripheral blood of nickel-sensitive and non-sensitized subjects. The results show that each patient had an individual Vβ repertoire overexpressed, these being in CD4⁺ cells Vβ10 and Vβ13 (in subject A); Vβ1, Vβ2, Vβ13 and Vβ21 (subject B); Vβ1 and Vβ10 (subject C); Vβ9 and Vβ19 (subject D). Thus, no single Vβ gene dominated in a majority of the CD4⁺ samples. The Vβ genes overexpressed in patient CD8⁺ nickel-induced T cells were Vβ1 (in subject A), Vβ1 (subject B), Vβ1 and Vβ2 (subject C) and Vβ7 (subject D), domination of Vβ1 being seen in most of the CD8⁺ samples (75%). No specific overexpression of any Vβ genes in the nickel-allergic subjects was found in comparison with the non-sensitized subjects. In conclusion, an individual pattern of restricted Vβ genes was induced with nickel in CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in each nickel allergy patient.