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Locus-specific somatic hypermutation in germinal centre T cells.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Zheng, B; Xue, W; Kelsoe, G
Published in: Nature
December 8, 1994

Somatic hypermutation and affinity-driven selection of active immunoglobulin genes occur in germinal centres (GCs), resulting in the generation of high-affinity memory B cells. In contrast, T lymphocytes do not require the germinal centre microenvironment to establish memory and the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) genes, though homologous to immunoglobulin genes, are believed to be incapable of hypermutation. Here we present direct evidence that the small population of antigen-specific T cells that are recruited into splenic GCs acquire mutations in the variable region of genes encoding TCR alpha-chains (V alpha) but not those of beta-chains. These locus-specific mutations reach frequencies comparable to mutated immunoglobulin VH exons recovered from the same site and exhibit similar substitution biases and DNA strand polarity. T cells bearing identical mutations appear in multiple GCs, raising the possibility that some cells bearing mutant TCRs may re-enter the peripheral lymphocyte pool.

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Published In

Nature

DOI

ISSN

0028-0836

Publication Date

December 8, 1994

Volume

372

Issue

6506

Start / End Page

556 / 559

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • T-Lymphocytes
  • Spleen
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
  • Mutation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mice
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Genes, Immunoglobulin
  • General Science & Technology
  • DNA, Complementary
 

Citation

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Zheng, B., Xue, W., & Kelsoe, G. (1994). Locus-specific somatic hypermutation in germinal centre T cells. Nature, 372(6506), 556–559. https://doi.org/10.1038/372556a0
Zheng, B., W. Xue, and G. Kelsoe. “Locus-specific somatic hypermutation in germinal centre T cells.Nature 372, no. 6506 (December 8, 1994): 556–59. https://doi.org/10.1038/372556a0.
Zheng B, Xue W, Kelsoe G. Locus-specific somatic hypermutation in germinal centre T cells. Nature. 1994 Dec 8;372(6506):556–9.
Zheng, B., et al. “Locus-specific somatic hypermutation in germinal centre T cells.Nature, vol. 372, no. 6506, Dec. 1994, pp. 556–59. Pubmed, doi:10.1038/372556a0.
Zheng B, Xue W, Kelsoe G. Locus-specific somatic hypermutation in germinal centre T cells. Nature. 1994 Dec 8;372(6506):556–559.
Journal cover image

Published In

Nature

DOI

ISSN

0028-0836

Publication Date

December 8, 1994

Volume

372

Issue

6506

Start / End Page

556 / 559

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • T-Lymphocytes
  • Spleen
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
  • Mutation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mice
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Genes, Immunoglobulin
  • General Science & Technology
  • DNA, Complementary