Preferential usage of T-cell receptor V beta 17 by dengue virus-specific human T lymphocytes in a donor with immunity to dengue virus type 4.

In order to better understand human T-cell responses to dengue viruses (DV), we analyzed T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta gene usage in DV-specific T lymphocytes. Peripheral blood T lymphocytes from a DV type 4 immune donor were stimulated in vitro with DV type 4 antigen, and TCR usage was examined by reverse transcriptase PCR. TCR V beta 17 was preferentially used (P = 0.020) among T cells stimulated by DV type 4 in bulk culture. Furthermore, 8 of 19 DV type 4-specific CD4+ T-cell clones established from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells expressed V beta 17 (P = 0.008). Preferential usage of TCR V alpha was not found among T cells expressing V beta 17. These results indicate that there is preferential usage of TCR V beta 17 among DV-specific T cells in this donor and suggest that T cells with certain TCRs may be important in immune responses to DV.