T cell receptor vβ gene expression in experimental herpes stromal keratitis

• Published in: Eye (London) Vol. 9; no. 5; pp. 599 - 604
• Main Authors: Pedroza-Seres, M, Goei, S, Merayo-Lloves, J, Dutt, J E, Lee, S J, Arrunategui-Correa, V, Foster, C S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.01.1995
• Subjects: Animals; Base Sequence; Blotting, Southern; DNA, Complementary - biosynthesis; Gene Expression; Humans; Keratitis, Herpetic - genetics; Keratitis, Herpetic - immunology; Male; Mice; Mice, Mutant Strains; Molecular Sequence Data; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell - genetics; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis
• ISSN: 0950-222X; 1476-5454
• DOI: 10.1038/eye.1995.147

Our study examined T cell receptor (TCR) V beta mRNA expression in a murine model of experimental herpes simplex keratitis (HSK). We employed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to detect TCR V beta mRNA expression in the inoculated eyes of both HSK-susceptible and HSK-resistant mice at different time points after corneal inoculation with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), followed by Southern blotting and densitometry analysis. In eyes from HSK-susceptible C.AL-20 mice, a more diverse TCR V beta transcript usage pattern was detected as compared with that seen in HSK-resistant C.B-17 mice. V beta 8 family members were expressed in both strains of mice at days 11, 14 and 21 post-inoculation. By densitometry, at day 11, the intensity of expression of V beta 8.2 and V beta 8.3 message was significantly greater in the eyes of C.AL-20 mice; V beta 8.1 was expressed only in C.B-17 mice. There were obvious differences in the TCR V beta expression between HSK-susceptible and HSK-resistant mice. The differences in the intensity of the message expressed by V beta 8 family members between the two strains could be correlated to previous experiments that showed V beta 8.1,2+ T cells as the main infiltrating cells in the corneas of HSK-susceptible mice by day 11 and 14 after challenge with HSV-1.