POSITIVE SELECTION OF V-BETA-2+ CD8+ T-CELLS

T cells bearing V(beta)4, V(beta)6, V(beta)10, V(beta)14, and V(beta)17a are positively selected by MHC class I and/or class II molecules with poorly elucidated mechanisms. In this paper levels of V(beta)2+ CD4+ and V(beta)2+ CD8+ T cells from 33 inbred, five F1 hybrid, and 48 [(C58 x DBA/2)F1 x DBA/2] backcross mice have been examined. The results show that (i) V(beta)2+ CD8+ T cells are positively selected by MHC class I H-2k molecules, (ii) this positive selection might be mediated by a non-H-2 ligand(s) in association with the K(k) molecule, and (iii) inbred strains of mice, so far examined, do not have endogenous superantigens for deletion of V(beta)2+ T cells.