T-CELL RECEPTOR HETEROGENEITY IN GAMMA-DELTA T-CELL CLONES FROM INTESTINAL BIOPSIES OF PATIENTS WITH CELIAC-DISEASE

In celiac disease large numbers of gammadelta T lymphocytes infiltrate the intestinal epithelia. We have isolated intestinal gammadelta T cell clones from patients with celiac disease and have analyzed their T cell receptor repertoire. T cell lines and clones were obtained from jejunal biopsies of 14 celiac patients and 12 individuals without celiac disease. These were analyzed by staining with monoclonal antibodies against CD3, alphabeta and gammadelta T cell receptor. by Southern blot with gamma- and delta-specific probes and by polymerase chain reaction using Vdelta-specific oligonucleotides. Intestinal gammadelta cells from patients with celiac disease differed from those of controls with normal jejunal histology in that Vdelta1+ cells and Vdelta1-Vdelta2- cells were significantly increased. There was no evidence of the expansion of one or more clones expressing particular types of gammadelta T cell receptor.