Change in antigen specificity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes is associated with the rearrangement and expression of a T-cell receptor beta-chain gene.

Abstract
Cloned H-Y-specific murine cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which alter antigen specificity in vitro ("aging"), simultaneously exhibit changes in the T-cell antigen receptor .beta.-chain rearrangements and respective mRNAs expressed. .beta.-chain cDNA clones were isolated from a library prepared from mRNA of aged killer T cells. The sequence of the .beta.-chain variable region element (VAK) was found to be identical with germ-line DNA. Four bases at the .beta.-chain diversity-joining region (D.beta.-J.beta.) junction cannot be explained by known germ-line D.beta. and J.beta. elements. These results illustrate that in T-cell clones altered antigen specificity correlates with a switch in productive .beta.-chain rearrangements of the T-cell receptor. When tested for its expression under physiological conditions, significant levels of VAK mRNA were found in normal lymphocyte populations.