A murine retrovirus induces proliferation of unique lymphoid cell lines expressing T-cell-receptor structures utilizing common variable region alpha and beta chain genes.

A murine radiation leukemia virus (RadLV) has been shown to induce in vitro proliferation of an unusual subset of lymphoid cells from spleen. They have the unusual property of expressing CD3/T-cell receptor alpha and beta chains (TCR-alpha beta) in the absence of other T-cell markers such as Thy-1, CD4, and CD8. Cell lines induced in two mouse strains with RadLV produced by the C6VL/1 thymoma all specifically utilize common V alpha 3 and V beta 8.2 variable region genes in the formation of a TCR structure. Each of these cell lines has now been found to express both class I and class II major histocompatibility antigens and the beta 2 integrin specific for spleen dendritic cells. Analysis of functional properties of these cells has revealed a subset that can endocytose proteins and function alone as antigen-presenting cells. They have therefore been called D-T cells (i.e., dendritic cells expressing TCR-alpha beta). A retroviral-driven event has been implicated in the proliferation of dendritic-like cells expressing a common TCR epitope.