Rearrangement and organization of T cell receptor gamma chain genes in human leukemic T cell lines

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Abstract
Seventeen T cell leukemic lines, which are arrested at different stages of differentiation, were analyzed for γ‐chain rearrangement and expression using the constant region gene and representatives of the different families of Vγ chain genes. With the exception of the T cell line P30/OKUBO, which is arrested at the earliest stage (stage I), all the leukemic lines have rearranged their γ‐chain genes and transcripts can be detected in all but MOLT‐4 and P30/OKUBO cell lines. Although Vγ1 genes were rearranged and expressed in leukemic lines arrested at stages II, III and IV, Vγ2 and Vγ3 were only rearranged and expressed in cells at stage III (0/5 in stage II, 5/9 in stage III and 0/1 in stage 4). Thus, there may be a sequential usage of Vγ gene during human T cell ontogeny (although it is possible that this may just be a coincidence), similar to that which has been shown during murine ontogeny. Based on the rearrangement data, the genomic order of 5′ Vγ1‐Vγ2‐Vγ3‐J‐C 3′ is proposed.