TY - JOUR
T1 - T cell receptor gene usage of BP180-specific T lymphocytes from patients with bullous pemphigoid and pemphigoid gestationis
AU - Hacker-Foegen, Mary K.
AU - Zillikens, Detlef
AU - Giudice, George J.
AU - Lin, Mong Shang
N1 - Funding Information:
This work is supported in part by Public Health Service grants RO1-AR40410 (G.J.G.), RO1-AI48427 (M.S.L.), and Wilhelm Sander-Stiftung grant 98.073.2 (D.Z.). The authors also wish to give special thanks to Dr. Zelmira Lazarova for her critical reading of the manuscript and invaluable suggestions.
PY - 2004/11
Y1 - 2004/11
N2 - BP180 is the autoantigen of different immunobullous diseases, including bullous pemphigoid (BP) and pemphigoid gestationis (PG). Previously, we demonstrated that the NC16A domain of this autoantigen harbors key epitopes of autoantibodies and T cells, indicating that it plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of diseases. Moreover, NC16A-specific T cell clones derived from these patients were shown to express a CD4+ memory T cell phenotype and secrete cytokines that may promote autoantibody production. In this study, we further characterize the properties of these T cells by analyzing their epitope specificity and T cell receptor (TCR) gene usage. We discovered that 83% of T cell clones obtained from BP patients preferentially express TCRBV13, while clones derived from a PG patient express the TCRBV3 gene. However, no preferential TCRBJ gene usage was identified. In conclusion, our results provide an advanced understanding of the characteristics of autoimmune T cells in immunobullous diseases.
AB - BP180 is the autoantigen of different immunobullous diseases, including bullous pemphigoid (BP) and pemphigoid gestationis (PG). Previously, we demonstrated that the NC16A domain of this autoantigen harbors key epitopes of autoantibodies and T cells, indicating that it plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of diseases. Moreover, NC16A-specific T cell clones derived from these patients were shown to express a CD4+ memory T cell phenotype and secrete cytokines that may promote autoantibody production. In this study, we further characterize the properties of these T cells by analyzing their epitope specificity and T cell receptor (TCR) gene usage. We discovered that 83% of T cell clones obtained from BP patients preferentially express TCRBV13, while clones derived from a PG patient express the TCRBV3 gene. However, no preferential TCRBJ gene usage was identified. In conclusion, our results provide an advanced understanding of the characteristics of autoimmune T cells in immunobullous diseases.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=4644330207&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.clim.2004.08.003
DO - 10.1016/j.clim.2004.08.003
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 15451475
AN - SCOPUS:4644330207
SN - 1521-6616
VL - 113
SP - 179
EP - 186
JO - Clinical Immunology
JF - Clinical Immunology
IS - 2
ER -
