A novel monoclonal reagent recognizing native and denatured Vbeta5.3-related chains of human T cell receptor.

Monoclonal antibodies to specific families of TCR variable domains serve as highly useful immunochemical tools for basic research in T-cell biology and diagnosis of autoimmune diseases. Monoclonal antibody MEM-262 characterized in this communication recognizes beta chains of the TCR expressed by HPB-ALL cell line (carrying Vbeta5.3) and a small subset of peripheral blood T cells. This subset is larger than that recognized by a previously described Vbeta5.3-specific mAb. MEM-262 potently stimulates selective expansion of the T-cell subset, efficiently immunoisolates native TCR complexes as well as free beta chains and uniquely recognizes denatured TCRbeta chains under the conditions of Western blotting.