Genetic Bias, Diversity Indices, Physiochemical Properties and CDR3 Motifs Divide Auto-Reactive from Allo-Reactive T-Cell Repertoires

• Main Authors: Oscar L. Haigh, Emma J. Grant, Thi H. O. Nguyen, Katherine Kedzierska, Matt A. Field, John J. Miles
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: T-cell; T-cell receptor; T-cell repertoire; T-cell alloreactivity
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/4/1625

The distinct properties of allo-reactive T-cell repertoires are not well understood. To investigate whether auto-reactive and allo-reactive T-cell repertoires encoded distinct properties, we used dextramer enumeration, enrichment, single-cell T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing and multiparameter analysis. We found auto-reactive and allo-reactive T-cells differed in mean ex vivo frequency which was antigen dependent. Allo-reactive T-cells showed clear differences in TCR architecture, with enriched usage of specific T-cell receptor variable (<i>TRBJ</i>) genes and broader use of T-cell receptor variable joining (<i>TRBJ</i>) genes. Auto-reactive T-cell repertoires exhibited complementary determining regions three (CDR3) lengths using a Gaussian distribution whereas allo-reactive T-cell repertoires exhibited distorted patterns in CDR3 length. CDR3 loops from allo-reactive T-cells showed distinct physical-chemical properties, tending to encode loops that were more acidic in charge. Allo-reactive T-cell repertoires differed in diversity metrics, tending to show increased overall diversity and increased homogeneity between repertoires. Motif analysis of CDR3 loops showed allo-reactive T-cell repertoires differed in motif preference which included broader motif use. Collectively, these data conclude that allo-reactive T-cell repertoires are indeed different to auto-reactive repertoires and provide tangible metrics for further investigations and validation. Given that the antigens studied here are overexpressed on multiple cancers and that allo-reactive TCRs often show increased ligand affinity, this new TCR bank also has translational potential for adoptive cell therapy, soluble TCR-based therapy and rational TCR design.