TCRβ rearrangements without a D segment are common, abundant, and public

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Sep 28;118(39):e2104367118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2104367118.

Abstract

T cells play an important role in adaptive immunity. An enormous clonal diversity of T cells with a different specificity, encoded by the T cell receptor (TCR), protect the body against infection. Most TCRβ chains are generated from a V, D, and J segment during recombination in the thymus. Although complete absence of the D segment is not easily detectable from sequencing data, we find convincing evidence for a substantial proportion of TCRβ rearrangements lacking a D segment. Additionally, sequences without a D segment are more likely to be abundant within individuals and/or shared between individuals. Our analysis indicates that such sequences are preferentially generated during fetal development and persist within the elderly. Summarizing, TCRβ rearrangements without a D segment are not uncommon, and tend to allow for TCRβ chains with a high abundance in the naive repertoire.

Keywords: T cell receptor; V(D)J recombination; immune repertoire.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptive Immunity*
  • Complementarity Determining Regions / genetics
  • Complementarity Determining Regions / metabolism
  • Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor*
  • Glycine / deficiency
  • Humans
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / genetics*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Complementarity Determining Regions
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
  • Glycine