CLASS-I AND CLASS-II MHC GENE-PRODUCTS DIFFERENTIALLY AFFECT THE FATE OF V-BETA-5 BEARING THYMOCYTES

  • 1 January 1990
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 4  (5) , 269-280
Abstract
We have previously shown that T cells bearing V.beta.5+ T-cell receptors (TCRs) are frequent in B10 (H-2b) and B10.Q (H-2q) mouse strains but are rare in the congenic strain B10.BR (H-2k). Furthermore, we have found that V.beta.5 bearing T cells appear to be excluded from the B10 alloresponse to I-Abm12 despite the participation of most other V.beta. bearing cells. To further study MHC effects on V.beta.5 expression, we have generated two V.beta.5 specific monoclonal antibodies and show here that V.beta.5 expressing T cells are clonally deleted from strains expressing a class II, I-E molecule. Furthermore, I-E- strains generate few CD4+ V.beta.5+ T cells despite significant numbers of V.beta.5+ T cells in the CD8+ subset. Thus, V.beta.r bearing T cells are positively selected by class I MHC molecules, clonally deleted by class II I-E molecules, and poorly selected by class II I-A molecules.