Porcine γ/δ T lymphocyte subsets differing in their propensity to home to lymphoid tissue

Abstract

Three types of Tcell receptors (TcR) γ/δ were identified in swine, all of which are disulfide‐bonded cell surface heterodimers. The first, a 38/40‐kDa molecule, is related to the TcR γ/δ of sheep and cattle, and defines in swine a subset of CD4⁻CD8⁻ T lymphocytes that is enriched in the circulatingT lymphocyte pool. The other two receptors are private to swine. The second, a 37/40‐kDa molecule, is expressed by the major subset of CD2⁻CD4⁻CD8⁻ T lymphocytes that is neither enriched in nor excluded from lymphoid tissue. By contrast, the third type of TcR γ/δ, a 40/46‐kDa molecule, is found on CD2⁺CD4⁻CD8⁻ T lymphocytes accumulating in lymphoid tissue. Thus, TcR γ/δ T lymphocyte subsets differing in homing propensity are typified by the expression of distinct molecular forms of the TcR γ/δ.