Predominant Role of T Cell Receptor (TCR)-α Chain in Forming Preimmune TCR Repertoire Revealed by Clonal TCR Reconstitution System

The CDR3 regions of T cell receptor (TCR)-alpha and -beta chains play central roles in the recognition of antigen (Ag)-MHC complex. TCR repertoire is created on the basis of Ag recognition specificity by CDR3s. To analyze the potential spectrum of TCR-alpha and -beta to exhibit Ag specificity and generate TCR repertoire, we established hundreds of TCR transfectants bearing a single TCR-alpha or -beta chain derived from a cytotoxic T cell (CTL) clone, RT-1, specific for HIVgp160 peptide, and randomly picked up TCR-beta or -alpha chains. Surprisingly, one-third of such TCR-beta containing random CDR3 beta from naive T cells of normal mice could reconstitute the antigen-reactive TCR coupling with RT-1 TCR-alpha. A similar dominant function of TCR-alpha in forming Ag-specific TCR, though low-frequency, was obtained for lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-specific TCR. Subsequently, we generated TCR-alpha and/or -beta transgenic (Tg) mice specific for HIVgp160 peptide, and analyzed the TCR repertoire of Ag-specific CTLs. Similar to the results from TCR reconstitution, TCR-alpha Tg generated CTLs with heterogeneous TCR-beta, whereas TCR-beta Tg-induced CTLs bearing a single TCR-alpha. These findings of Ag recognition with minimum involvement of CDR3 beta expand our understanding regarding the flexibility of the spectrum of TCR and suggest a predominant role of TCR-alpha chain in determining the preimmune repertoire of Ag-specific TCR.