Abstract

A B cell line, B6-1710, that expresses the defective virus known to induce murine AIDS stimulates a large fraction of nonprimed splenic T cells. Analysis of the T cell population responding to the B6-1710 for TCR Vβ-chain usage revealed that, in addition to the previously reported Vβ5-chain-positive T cells, T cells bearing Vβ11 and Vβ12 are also specifically enriched. We have established Vβ5+ T cell lines, clones, and hybridomas expressing identical TCR with different CD4/CD8 phenotypes and demonstrated that T cell reactivity to B6-1710 is, although not absolute, dependent on the presence of CD4 molecules. Further analysis of T cell hybridomas with known Jβ-chain usage revealed that Dβ-and Jβ-chain usage do not play crucial roles in T cell reactivity to B6-1710 B cells. However, T cell hybridomas derived from TCR-Vβ gene transgenic mice were found to be heterogeneous for their reactivity to B6-1710, suggesting that the Vα-chains associating with the transgenic Vβ-chain determine T cell responsiveness to B6-1710. These data clearly demonstrate that T cell reactivity to a murine AIDS virus expressing B cell line resembles that previously reported for Mls-like superantigens.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)9-16
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Immunology
Volume149
Issue number1
StatePublished - Jul 1 1992

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