Serial analysis of gene expression in circulating gamma delta T cell subsets defines distinct immunoregulatory phenotypes and unexpected gene expression profiles

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) 2003-01, Vol.170 (1), p.356-364
• Main Authors: Meissner, Nicole, Radke, Jay, Hedges, Jodi F, White, Michael, Behnke, Michael, Bertolino, Shannon, Abrahamsen, Mitchell, Jutila, Mark A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cattle; CD8 Antigens - biosynthesis; Cell Separation - methods; Flow Cytometry - methods; Gene Expression Profiling - methods; Gene Expression Regulation - genetics; Gene Expression Regulation - immunology; Gene Library; Immunophenotyping; Lymphocyte Activation - genetics; Male; Membrane Proteins - biosynthesis; Membrane Proteins - genetics; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Myeloid Cells - immunology; Myeloid Cells - metabolism; Protein Biosynthesis - immunology; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - biosynthesis; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - blood; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - genetics; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - metabolism; Transcription, Genetic - immunology
• ISSN: 0022-1767
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.170.1.356

Gene expression profiles were compared in circulating bovine GD3.5+ (CD8-) and GD3.5- (predominantly CD8+) gammadelta T cells using serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE). Approximately 20,000 SAGE tags were generated from each library. A comparison of the two libraries demonstrated 297 and 173 tags representing genes with 5-fold differential expression in GD3.5+ and GD3.5- gammadelta T cells, respectively. Consistent with their localization into sites of inflammation, GD3.5+ gammadelta T cells appeared transcriptionally and translationally more active than GD3.5- gammadelta cells. GD3.5- gammadelta T cells demonstrated higher expression of the cell proliferation inhibitor BAP 37, which was associated with their less activated gene expression phenotype. The immune regulatory and apoptosis-inducing molecule, galectin-1, was identified as a highly abundant molecule and was higher in GD3.5+gammadelta T cells. Surface molecules attributed to myeloid cells, such as CD14, CD68, and scavenger receptor-1, were identified in both populations. Furthermore, expression of B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein, a master regulator of B cell and myeloid cell differentiation, was identified by SAGE analysis and was confirmed at the RNA level to be selectively expressed in gammadelta T cells vs alphabeta T cells. These results provide new insights into the inherent differences between circulating gammadelta T cell subsets.