Studies on the human T cell receptor α/β variable region genes. I. Identification of 7 additional Vα subfamilies and 14 Jα gene segments

Abstract

The anchored‐polymerase chain reaction has been used to study further the diversity of the human T cell receptor α chain. The analysis of 308 cDNA transcripts from human peripheral lymphocytes hybridizing with a C_α probe led to the identification of a series of additional V_α and J_α gene segments. The sequences of seven V_α gene segments which individually define a novel V_α subfamily (termed V_αw23 to V_αw29) are reported. The sequences of some previously described V_α1, V_α2, V_α5, V_α7 and V_α22 gene segments are also extended. In addition, we report 14 novel J_α gene segment sequences. Taken together, these data indicate that the contribution of the α chain combinatorial diversity to the human T cell receptor α/β variability has not yet been fully appreciated.