The Journal of Immunology, Vol 140, Issue 4 1107-1110, Copyright © 1988 by American Association of Immunologists

ARTICLES

Functional reactivity of WT31 monoclonal antibody with T cell receptor- gamma expressing CD3+4-8- T cells

RJ van de Griend, J Borst, WJ Tax and RL Bolhuis
Rotterdam Radio-Therapeutic Institute, Department of Immunology, The Netherlands.

About 3% of normal peripheral blood T lymphocytes have the phenotype CD3+4-8-. The vast majority of these cells lack the conventional TCR- alpha-, beta complex but express the recently identified TCR-gamma, delta/CD3 receptor complex. These TCR gamma+/CD3+ cells were initially discovered by using as a criterion the lack of reactivity with WT31 mAb. This mAb has been reported to recognize a "framework" epitope on the TCR-alpha, beta/CD3 complex. However, using high concentrations of WT31 mAb, low levels of reactivity with the cell membrane of TCR-gamma+ cells can be observed. This reactivity was significantly increased upon removal of sialic acid residues by neuraminidase. In addition, WT31 mAb is capable to induce lysis by TCR-gamma+ clones. Moreover, immunoprecipitation with WT31 by using cell lysates prepared with the mild detergent digitonin resulted in the isolation of the intact TCR- gamma/CD3 complex. Thus, in contrast to what was previously assumed, WT31 mAb also reacts with a functional epitope present on gamma, delta/CD3 T cells, and therefore lack of reactivity with WT31 mAb is not always a proper hallmark for TCR-gamma-expressing cells.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. E. Rossi, J. Reine, M. Pineda-Lezamit, M. Pulgar, N. W. Meza, M. Swamy, R. Risueno, W. W. A. Schamel, P. Bonay, E. Fernandez-Malave, et al. Differential antibody binding to the surface {alpha}{beta}TCR{middle dot}CD3 complex of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes is conserved in mammals and associated with differential glycosylation Int. Immunol., July 24, 2008; (2008) dxn081v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Tuovinen, E. Kekalainen, L. H. Rossi, J. Puntila, and T. P. Arstila Response to Comment on "Cutting Edge: Human CD4-CD8- Thymocytes Express FOXP3 in the Absence of a TCR" J. Immunol., July 15, 2008; 181(2): 858 - 858. [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. R. Petersen, S. Gulland, E. Bettelli, V. Kuchroo, E. Palmer, and B. T. Backstrom A chimeric T cell receptor with super-signaling properties Int. Immunol., July 1, 2004; 16(7): 889 - 894. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A. Zapata, W. W. A. Schamel, P. S. Torres, B. Alarcon, N. E. Rossi, M. N. Navarro, M. L. Toribio, and J. R. Regueiro Biochemical Differences in the {alpha}{beta} T Cell Receptor{middle dot}CD3 Surface Complex between CD8+ and CD4+ Human Mature T Lymphocytes J. Biol. Chem., June 4, 2004; 279(23): 24485 - 24492. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A. Zapata, A. Pacheco-Castro, P. S. Torres, A. R. Ramiro, E. San Jose, B. Alarcon, L. Alibaud, B. Rubin, M. L. Toribio, and J. R. Regueiro Conformational and Biochemical Differences in the TCR{middle dot}CD3 Complex of CD8+ Versus CD4+ Mature Lymphocytes Revealed in the Absence of CD3gamma J. Biol. Chem., December 3, 1999; 274(49): 35119 - 35128. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. T. Backstrom, B. T. Hausmann, and E. Palmer Signaling Efficiency of the T Cell Receptor Controlled by a Single Amino Acid in the beta  Chain Constant Region J. Exp. Med., December 1, 1997; 186(11): 1933 - 1938. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]