TCR V beta gene expression in lesional T lymphocyte cell lines in oral lichen planus.

Abstract

To study V beta gene expression in oral lichen planus (OLP) lesional T lymphocytes cell lines. Lesional T lymphocytes were isolated from eight OLP patients and cell lines established. The total RNA was extracted from these lymphocyte cell lines and reverse transcribed. cDNA was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a panel of 26 V beta-specific oligonucleotide primers followed by qualitative analysis of the electrophoresed reaction products. V beta 1, 2, 3, 5.1, 6.1-3, 7, 8, 9, 22, 23, and 24 were represented consistently in all of the OLP samples, V beta 11, 12, and 17 were consistently negative, while the other V beta families (V beta 4, 5.2-3, 10, 13.1, 13.2, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, and 21) were variable. V beta 22 and 23 were the most strongly expressed in all patients. A limited T cell receptor (TCR) gene usage indicates a degree of oligoclonality within these lesional T lymphocyte cell lines from OLP. This implies that OLP may be an antigen-specific disease or linked to a limited number of superantigens.