Phenotypic analysis and gamma delta-T cell receptor repertoire of murine T cells associated with the vaginal epithelium.

T cells expressing alpha beta- and gamma delta-TCR are associated with the murine vaginal epithelium. A combination of phenotypic analysis of cell surface Ag and molecular analysis of the gamma- and delta-genes was used to demonstrate that vaginal gamma delta-T cells have several features that distinguish them from gamma delta-T cells present in other tissues. Three color flow cytofluorometric analysis demonstrated that freshly isolated vaginal gamma delta-T cells are CD4-CD8- and their expression of Thy-1 is strain dependent. Furthermore, specific differences in CD5, CD28, and p55IL-2 receptor expression were found between alpha beta- and gamma delta-T cells isolated from vaginal tissue. The vaginal gamma delta-T cells are predominantly CD45+, pgp-1+, HSA-, Ly-6C-, and MEL-14-. Both alpha beta- and gamma delta-T cells were absent in vaginal tissue from nude mice, although Thy-1-positive cells are present. It was also demonstrated that V gamma 4 and V delta 1 are the only gamma- and delta-genes that are expressed by vaginal cells. Sequence analysis of their junctions revealed that they express the V gamma 4 and V delta 1 sequences also found in fetal thymocytes. Furthermore, the V delta 1 sequence is identical in the vaginal cells and the gamma delta-T cells from the epidermal epithelium. We conclude that the vagina, like the skin, is a site where gamma delta-T cells with an invariant TCR exist.