Preferential expression of TCR Vα regions in CD4/CD8 subsets: class discrimination or co-receptor recognition?

• Published in: Immunology today (Amsterdam. Regular ed.) Vol. 19; no. 6; pp. 276 - 282
• Main Authors: Sim, Bee-Cheng, Lo, David, Gascoigne, Nicholas R.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier B.V 01.06.1998
• Subjects: AIDS/HIV; Animals; CD4; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; CD8; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; co-receptor; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - immunology; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II - immunology; Humans; Immunoglobulin Variable Region - metabolism; MHC class I; MHC class II; Mice; Rats; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta - biosynthesis; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta - immunology; T cell; T-cell receptor; TCR; V region; Vα region; T-cell receptor; TCR; CD4; co-receptor; CD8; T cell; MHC class I; Vα region; V region; MHC class II
• ISSN: 0167-5699
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-5699(98)01257-2

The preferential expression of T-cell receptor (TCR) Vα regions in the CD4 + and CD8 + T-cell subsets suggests that they have a special role in distinguishing recognition of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I from class II, or CD4 from CD8. Here, Bee-Cheng Sim, David Lo and Nicholas Gascoigne review recent data indicating the molecular basis for this discrimination, and how polymorphism within Vα subfamilies and between TCR α-chain haplotypes contributes to the T-cell repertoire.