Organ-specific T cell receptor repertoire in target organs of murine graft-versus-host after transplantation across minor histocompatibility antigen barriers.

Background: Minor histocompatibility antigens (miHags) are recognized by alloreactive cytotoxic donor T lymphocytes and trigger potent immune reactions such as graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) after major histocompatibility complex-matched transplantation. Our study focuses on tissue-specific T-cell responses to miHag-encoded peptides in GvHD target organs during the first 30 days in a murine transplant model.

Methods: Complementarity determining region (CDR)3-size spectratyping was used to study T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires in recipient skin, liver, ileum, colon, spleen, and heart.