Characterization of a novel chicken γδ TCR-specific marker

Chickens are a species with a high number of γδ T cells in various tissues. Despite their abundance, γδ T cells are poorly characterized in chickens, partially due to a lack of specific reagents to characterize these cells. Up until now, the TCR1 clone has been the only γδ T cell-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) in chickens and additional reagents for γδ T cell subsets are needed. In order to address this issue, new mAb were generated in our laboratory by immunizing mice with in vitro cultured γδ T cells. In an initial flow cytometric screen a new mAb, clone “8D2”, displayed an interesting staining pattern that mirrored γδ TCR up- and downregulation in the γδ T cell line D4 over time, prompting us to characterize this antibody further. We compared the expression of the unknown 8D2 epitope in combination with TCR1 staining across various primary cells. In splenocytes, peripheral blood lymphocytes and intestinal epithelial cells, 8D2 consistently labeled a subset of TCR1⁺ cells. To determine, whether specific γδ T cell receptors were recognized by 8D2, we sorted γδ T cells according to their 8D2 and TCR1 expression and analyzed their TCR V(D)J gene usage by TCR profiling. Strikingly, sorted 8D2⁺ cells preferentially expressed Vγ3 genes, whereas the TCR Vγ genes used by TCR1⁺ 8D2^- cells were more variable. γδ TCR in 8D2⁺ cells were most frequently comprised of gamma chain VJ genes TRGV3-8 and TRGJ3, and delta chain VDJ genes TRDV1-2, TRDD2, TRDJ1. To confirm binding of 8D2 to specific γδ TCR, the preferentially utilized combination of TRG and TRD was expressed in HEK293 cells in combination with CD3, demonstrating surface binding of the 8D2 mAb to this Vγ3 γδ TCR-expressing cell line. Conversely, HEK293 cells expressing either Vγ1 or Vγ2 TCR did not react with 8D2. In conclusion, 8D2 is a novel tool for identifying specific Vγ3 bearing γδ T cells.