H-2 CLASS-I L(D) ANTIGEN POSITIVELY SELECTS DIFFERENT TCR V-BETA GENE-PRODUCTS IN CD8+ AND CD4+ T-CELLS

Expression of CD4+ or CD8+ determinants and ten different TCR Vbeta genes was analysed by two-colour flow cytometry in lymph node cells (LNC) of BALB/c and dm2 (a BALB/c L(d) loss mutant) mice. TCR Vbeta14 expression of CD8+ T cells and TCR Vbeta7 and 14 of CD4+ T Cells were significantly more frequent in BALB/c than in dM2 LNC, whereas no differences were observed in the frequency distribution of TCR Vbeta+ CD4-CD8- double negative LNC from BALB/c versus dm2 mice. These results represent the first published evidence for positive selection of particular TCR Vbeta genes by individual MHC class I molecules in non-manipulated mice.