Production of a soluble γδ T-cell receptor to identify ligands for the murine intestinal intraepithelial γδ T cell population

Although the functions and antigen recognition requirements of αβ T cells are well characterised, the antigens recognised by γδ T cells and the consequences of this recognition are unclear. γδ T cells are enriched within epithelia, where they eradicate transformed epithelial cells and regulate inflammation. To understand how this occurs, we need to understand the cellular ligands recognised by the γδ cell through the γδ T-cell receptor (TCR). We have therefore generated a soluble TCR (sTCR) to identify ligands for the murine γδ intestinal intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL) population. sTCR was produced in the baculovirus expression system and purified by affinity chromatography on an anti-TCRδ affinity column. sTCR was recognised by a panel of conformation-specific anti-TCRγδ antibodies. We will now use our sTCR to directly test the binding of putative ligands to the TCR using surface plasmon resonance, and to isolate the ligand biochemically.