T-cell receptor alpha haplotype influences V alpha epitope expression on both cortisone-resistant thymocytes and lymph node T cells.

We have previously described a mouse strain congenic for the T-cell receptor alpha chain locus (Tcra). The strain, B10.D2.

Weak positive selection of transgenic T cell receptor-bearing thymocytes: importance of major histocompatibility complex class II, T cell receptor and CD4 surface molecule densities.

We have produced alpha beta T cell receptor (TcR)-transgenic mice and studied MHC-dependent positive selection of T cells bearing this receptor. The alpha and beta transgenes were isolated from an I-Ed-restricted, CD4+ BALB/c (H-2d/d) T cell clone specific for a peptide consisting of the 91-101 residues of the lambda 2 immunoglobulin light chain of MOPC315. Mice which carry the transgenes on a BALB/c background, but with H-2d/d, H-2b/d or H-2b/b major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotypes, were investigated for TcR expression in thymocytes and peripheral T cells.

A Tcra congenic mouse: V alpha epitope expression is influenced by both Tcra haplotypes and background genes.

A T-cell receptor alpha chain locus (Tcra) congenic mouse is described. The Tcraa haplotype of BALB/c (donor strain) was bred on to B10.D2 (background strain, Tcrab haplotype) by using a Bgl I Tcra-C restriction fragment length polymorphism.

No recombinations between Tcra-V and Tcra-C gene segments in 669 backcross mice.

Because T-cell receptor (Tcr) genes may possibly function as non-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) immune response genes or predispose for autoimmune diseases, it is important to know how these genes are inherited. We found that Bgl I-digested DNA of BALB/c, C3H, DBA/2, and C57BL/6 exhibited restriction enzyme fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) for the Tcra-V1, Tcra-V2, Tcra-V4, Tcra-V6, Tcra-V7, Tcra-V8, Tcra-V11, Tcra-V12, Tcra-V13, and Tcra-C gene segments. Inheritance of these RFLPs in 669 offspring from (BALB/c x C57BL/6) x BALB/c, (BALB/c x C57BL/6) x C57BL/6, (C57BL/6 x DBA2) x DBA/2, and (C57BL/6 x C3H) x C3H backcrosses was studied.