PREFERENTIAL REARRANGEMENTS OF THE V-GAMMA-I SUBGROUP OF THE GAMMA-CHAIN OF THE T-CELL ANTIGEN RECEPTOR TO J-GAMMA-2C-GAMMA-2 GENE SEGMENTSIN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD LYMPHOCYTE TRANSCRIPTS FROM NORMAL DONORS

To investigate whether there are preferential VJC gene rearrangements of the gamma-chain of the human T-cell antigen receptor (TCR), we ampl ified and sequenced gamma-chain TCR transcripts from peripheral blood lymphocytes from adult normal donors. cDNA was synthesized from total RNA and amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using 5'prime rs specific for either the VgammaI or the VgammaII subgroups of the ga mma-chain of the TCR. The amplified cDNAs were then cloned and sequenc ed. The majority (approximately 83%) of the cDNAs employing V-I subgro up gene segments rearranged to Jgamma2 (Jgamma2.1 or Jgamma2.3) Cgamma 2 gene segments. This was in contrast to the predominant rearrangement of the VgammaII subgroup (Vgamma9) to Jgamma1.2Cgamma1. The remaining 13% of the cDNAs employing VgammaI subgroup gene segments rearranged to Jgamma1.1Cgamma1 or Jgamma1.3Cgamma1. There was significant N diver sity as well as imprecise joining at the VJ junction. Gammadelta TCR u tilizing the Cgamma1 gene segment are disulfide-linked, whereas those utilizing the Cgamma2 gene segment are non-disulfide-linked. These res ults demonstrate that peripheral blood gamma-chain transcripts exhibit preferential rearrangements of VgammaI subgroup gene segments to Jgam ma2(2.1,2.3)Cgamma2 gene segments. By contrast, VgammaII subgroup (Vga mma9) transcripts exhibit rearrangements to Jgamma1.2Cgamma1.