H-2L(D)-ALLOREACTIVE T-CELL HYBRIDOMAS UTILIZE DIVERSE V-ALPHA AND V-BETA T-CELL RECEPTOR CHAINS

We have sequenced the TCRs from L(d)-specific alloreactive T cell hybr idomas, whose reactivities we have found to be quite representative of those of a primary dm2 anti-BALB/cJ mixed lymphocyte reaction. We fin d V beta 6, V beta 7, V beta 8 and V beta 10 gene segments. V alpha us age is diverse, although closely related to that from peptide-specific L(d)-restricted CTLs. V alpha-V beta selection provides evidence of p referential pairing. Amino acid frequency analysis shows that the alph a CDR2 region is rich in charged amino acids, in contrast to the beta CDR2 region. Our data suggests the beta chain may be more immunoglobul in-like than the alpha chain, and that charge complementarity may be i mportant in TCR-MHC interactions. We do not consider our results to be contradictory to those previously reported but rather they may repres ent an early, more diverse response. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Scien ce Ltd.