Usage of T Cell receptor repertoire is restricted in synovial lymphocytes in rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease characterized by a chronic inflammatory process, primarily involving the synovial membrane of peripheral joints, where T cell activation is found. To address the superantigen stimulation in rheumatoid arthritis, T cell clonality and the expression of activation markers were analyzed. METHODS: To detect TCRB V usage, inverse PCR and sequencing were done. Monoclonal antibodies were used for flow cytometric analysis of TCRBV8 or TCRBV5. As result s, a restricted usage of TCRBV3 gene was detected in synovial lymphocytes from one rheumatoid arthritis patient . However, preferential usage for TCRB V8, which may be one indicator for stimulation by staphylococcal superantigen, was not obvious although general activation of T cells was found as high DR+ percentage in synovial T cells. These data show specific antigen rather than superantigen might involve the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis.

Diverse Expression of NK Cell Receptor between Fetal Thymocytes and Fetal Liver Lymphocytes from the Same Individuals / 대한면역학회지

Fetal thymus may be the organ for NK cell maturation, but the in vivo evidences are few, Here, by analyzing NK cell receptor, we present that NK cells develop in fetal thymus and fetal liver and that NK cell receptor appears earlier than the expression CD16 or CD56. Moreover, the finding that the repertoire of NK cell receptor is different between fetal thymus and fetal liver lymphocytes suggests that the environmental factors may influence the NK cell receptor repertoire during NK cell maturation.

Expression of p58 in Fetal Thymocytes and Fetal Liver Lymphocytes / 대한면역학회지

Bipotent progenitors for T and natural killer (NK) lymphocytes are thought to exist among early precursor thymocytes or liver lymphocytes. The identification of such a progenitor population or mature NK cells in such organs remains undefined. Here we report the identification of a novel receptor of NK cells, p58 (HLA class I-specific inhibitory receptors), in fetal thymocytes and fetal liver lymphocytes. Our finding suggests the NK cells mature in the developmental stage during feta1 ontogeny. Flow cytometric analysis revealed p58 positive cells in thymocytes or in fetal liver lymphocytes and reverse transcription PCR also showed amplification of p58 RNA. The result of single stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) showed it discriminates one or two base pair differences of the p58 gene. Although the question still remains as to whether the expression of p58 is due to the NK cells or natural T cells, it is clear the p58 is expressed in fetal thymocytes or liver lymphocytes. And SSCP analysis using appropriate sets of primers used in this study, is helpful to study the diversity of p58.