TCR V alpha chain expression influences reactivity to the hapten TNP

We have recently demonstrated a remarkable selection of in vitrocultivated, TNP-specific polyclonal T cell lines for the expression of aTCR beta chain encoded by the V beta 8.2 gene. The goal of the presentstudy was to analyse V alpha usage in V beta 8.2 T cells responsive to TNP,using TNP-specific T cell lines derived from three common strains of mice,as well as from V beta 8.2 transgenic mice. Results indicate that in vitroTNP stimulation of T cells from TNP- immune mice results in significantskewing of V alpha usage among responding V beta 8.2+ T cells, withoverexpression observed for V alpha 3.2 and V alpha 8. These resultsindicate that V alpha expression influences recognition of TNP by T cells,and suggest that the hapten TNP might be recognized like typical peptideantigens by combinatorial TCR alpha and beta contact sites.