Expression of a murine polyclonal T cell receptor marker correlates with the use of specific members of the V beta 8 gene segment subfamily.

A series of murine T lymphocyte clones were examined for reactivity with the KJ16-133 and F23.1 mAbs. Clones that were KJ16-133+,F23.1+ and KJ16-133-,F23.1+ were identified, but no KJ16-133+,F23.1- clones were observed. Within our panel of clones, therefore, the KJ16-133 antibody identifies a subset of F23.1+ cells. All F23.1+ clones examined express members of the V beta 8 subfamily of beta chain variable region genes; clones expressing V beta 8.1 or V beta 8.2 reacted with both KJ16-133 and F23.1, while clones expressing V beta 8.3 reacted only with F23.1. Thus, the differential reactivity of the KJ16-133 and F23.1 antibodies with cloned T cells correlates with the V beta gene expression of each clone. Reactivity with these antibodies should therefore be of utility for predicting the V beta gene expression in some T cell clones.