Rearrangement and expression of T-cell receptor genes in marmoset lymphoid cell lines with natural killer activity

To study the role of the T-3/T-cell receptor complex in mediating natural killer activity, we have examined T-cell receptor gene configuration and expression in five transformed marmoset cell lines with natural killer activity. All lines showed rearrangement of the beta chain of the T-cell receptor and expressed full size beta chain transcripts as well as full size delta chain transcripts. Only three lines contained full size T-cell receptor alpha chain transcripts. Of the three lines which had potential for encoding functional T-3/T-cell receptor complex, those which possessed natural killer activity also expressed T-gamma transcripts. In addition, one clone with high natural killer activity which did express high levels of T-gamma mRNA was unable to produce functional T-3/T-cell receptor complex due to truncated T-cell receptor alpha chain message. The results in this paper provide strong evidence that natural killer activity is dependent upon expression of the T-cell receptor gamma chain.