Analysis of the T-cell receptor beta-chain variable-region (V beta) repertoire in monozygotic twins discordant for human immunodeficiency virus: evidence for perturbations of specific V beta segments in CD4+ T cells of the virus-positive twins.

摘要

We analyzed the T-cell receptor (TCR) V betarepertoire in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected individualsat different stages of disease. To circumvent the effect of HLA and other locion the expressed TCR repertoire, we compared the TCR repertoire in nine pairs ofmonozygotic twins who were discordant for HIV infection. A semiquantitativepolymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and flow cytometry enabled us to showdistinct differences in the V beta repertoire in the HIV-positive twin comparedwith the HIV-negative twin. By combining PCR and cytofluorometry, thesedifferences were restricted to a specific set of TCR V beta segments, withmembers of the V beta 13 family perturbed in six out of seven cases and those ofthe V beta 21 family perturbed in four out of seven cases studied. Most of theother V beta families remained unchanged. Our results provide direct evidencefor a skewed TCR repertoire in HIV infection.