T-CELL RECEPTOR V-BETA GENE UTILIZATION IN PRIMARY BILIARY-CIRRHOSIS

Semiquantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-P CR) was used to study the T-cell. receptor (TCR) beta-chain variable ( V beta) region gene families expressed by T cells in 28 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), 20 normal controls, and 9 patients wi th other chronic inflammatory hepatic diseases, We hypothesized that a ctivation and clonal proliferation of T cells would lead to biases in the T-cell repertoire of patients with PBC. Freshly harvested T cells from both peripheral blood and liver tissue were examined for evidence of biased V beta utilization. Individuals varied considerably in thei r pattern of V beta expression, but several significant differences we re noted in the PBC group. In peripheral blood, the mean level of V be ta 6.1,3 expression was greater in PBC patients than in normal control s. In the liver of PBC patients, the mean level of V beta 6.1,3 expres sion was even higher than in the peripheral blood, indicating intrahep atic accumulation of these T cells. The mean level of V beta 6.1,3 exp ression was not significantly different in the blood compared with liv er in patients with other Liver diseases, Expression of V beta 7 and V beta 13.1 was also significantly greater in the liver than in the blo od of PBC patients, but similar trends were also seen in the control l iver group. These data show that specific alterations in the TCR reper toire are present in the blood and liver of patients with PBC.