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A T cell line termed DIL2 has been derived from an infant with a polyclonal T cell receptor (TCR)/CD3 cell surface expression defect. Indirect immunofluorescence showed that the expression of certain TCR/CD3 epitopes (like those detected by WT31 and BMA031 monoclonals) was strongly reduced (around five-fold) on DIL2, whereas other epitopes (like those detected by SP34 and Leu4) were only around two-fold lower than in normal T cell lines. Specific immunoprecipitates of surface-radioiodinated DIL2 cells contained TCR-alpha, TCR-beta, CD3-delta, CD3-epsilon and TCR-zeta chains, but lacked CD3-gamma. This structural TCR/CD3 variant was, however, capable of transducing certain activation signals, since normal proliferation and a low but significant calcium flux was observed in DIL2 cells after engagement with specific antibodies. Our data suggest that a functional TCR/CD3 complex can be expressed on the surface of T cells in the absence of CD3-gamma.

A polyclonal T-cell receptor complex (TCR) expression defect (as detected with monoclonal antibody WT31) has been found in two children belonging to an otherwise healthy Spanish family. One of the sibs (V, who had been vaccinated with attenuated poliomyelitis virus) showed clinical signs of immunodeficiency with an autoimmune syndrome, but the other (older) sib (D, vaccinated with attenuated rubella, measles, mumps, and poliomyelitis viruses) has been symptomless throughout life. In contrast to both sibs' normal expression of other peripheral leucocyte markers, as measured by flow cytometry (including CD1, CD2, CD4, CD8, and CD16), only about 6% of CD2+ polyclonal T cells expressed surface antigen-specific T-cell receptor (Ti/WT31), and only about 23% weakly expressed surface CD3 determinants. On the remaining CD2+ T cells in each sib the expression of Ti and CD3 was undetectable; the defect in CD3 expression is very likely secondary to the defect in Ti expression. Natural killer (NK) activity was not increased in any of the sibs, ruling out a high content of NK cells among their CD2+ lymphocytes. Functional data indicate that CD3-mediated T-cell activation with anti-CD3 monoclonals and Ti-mediated responses to allogeneic and tetanus toxoid antigens were severely depressed, whereas activation via CD2 was normal in the T lymphocytes of both sibs. Genes encoding for Ti alpha, beta, and gamma chains did not show major alterations by southern blot analysis, and polyclonal beta chain genes rearrangements were detected in both children's T-cell blasts. Family clustering suggests a genetic pathogenesis, but linkage to HLA or other blood group markers has not been found. Sib V had a concomitant autoimmune disease and died after a severe autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, indicating a relationship between the TCR and generation of autoimmune clones. However, the resistance of both individuals to infection and to vaccination with attenuated viruses, and the fact that sib D has been symptomless to date questions the relative importance of the TCR in the immune response against infection, and suggests that alternative T-cell activation pathways and non-specific defence mechanisms (external surfaces--bound and/or cellular) may suffice under certain circumstances.