Analysis of the TCR V(γ) repertoire in healthy donors and HIV-1-infected individuals

Abstract

During the course of infection with HIV-1, striking alterations in the subset distribution of peripheral blood γδ T cells are observed. While TCR Vδ2 expression dominates among peripheral blood γδ T cells in healthy adults, there is a clear preponderance of V(δ)1 cells in HIV-1-infected persons. In this study, we present the first flow cytometry (FCM) analysis of the complete TCR V(γ) gene repertoire in HIV-1-infected individuals using a panel of mAb against all expressed V(γ) genes. The quantitative analysis of TCR V(γ) transcripts after amplification of cDNA by inverse PCR suggested that V(γ)5 usage is increased in HIV-1+ donors. This was confirmed by FCM with a new anti-V(γ)5 mAb. In addition, all members of the TCR V(γ)1 gene family (i.e. V(γ)2, 3, 4, 5 and 8) were expressed on significantly higher percentages of γδ T cells in HIV+ as compared to HIV- donors, whereas V(γ)II (V(γ)9) expression was drastically reduced. No preferential association of the expanded V(δ)1+ cells with a particular V(γ) gene was observed in HIV-1+ donors. These results indicate that the increase in V(δ)1+ cells during HIV-1 infection occurs independently of the V(γ) gene usage and support the hypothesis that a V(δ)1-selective ligand might be involved.