y6 T CellReceptorAnalysis Supports a RoleforHSP 70Selection of LymphocytesinMultiple Sclerosis Lesions

Background: Interactions between y5Tcells andheat shock proteins (HSP) havebeenproposed ascontributingfactors inanumberofdiseases ofpossible autoimmuneetiology butdefinitive evidence tosupport this hypothesis hasbeenlacking. Inmultiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic inflammatory neurologic disease, HSPandy5T cells areknowntocolocalize inbrain lesions. Analysis of T cell receptor (TCR)geneusageinthese lesions has detected evidence ofclonality within boththeV52-J61 andV52-J83 populations ofySTcells. Inourownstudies, using direct sequence analysis, adominant V52-J53 TCRsequence wasfound in9MS brain samples, suggesting aresponse toacommonantigen. Inthis report, wehaveexamined ySTcell receptor geneusage inMS peripheral blood T cell lines selected forreactivity to