Abstract

An autoreactive T lymphocyte clone, designated as F1C4 was established from an autoimmune mouse strain (NZB/NZW)F₁. This clone proliferated in the presence of mitomycin C-treated splenic adherent cells (MMC-SAC) from syngeneic mice. This response was dependent on the numbers of MMC-SAC. The specificity of F1C4 for I-A was determined by an inhibition test carried out with monoclonal anti-Ia sera. Furthermore, the F1C4 cells did not exhibit alloreactivity in a proliferation assay and did not react to foreign antigens such as fetal calf serum (FCA) used in the culture medium. When F1C4 cells were cultured with autologous non-T cells in the absence of antigen, they strongly enhanced IgM class anti-ssDNA production from non-T cells of both young and old B/W F₁ mice at appropriate cell numbers in vitro. Furthermore, the production of IgG class anti-ssDNA from non-T cells of old B/W F₁ mice was also enhanced. The adoptive transfer of F1C4 cells enhanced the levels of both IgM and IgG anti-ssDNA antibodies in the serum of aged B/W F₁ mice. Moreover, the serum levels of anti-ssDNA of IgG2a and IgG2b subclasses were readily enhanced by the transfer of F1C4 in vivo.

Keywords: (NZB × NZW)F₁ mice; Autoreactive T cell; Anti-DNA antibody

Abbreviations: SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus; Ics, immune complexes; FCS, fetal calf serum; D-GL, poly-(d-glutamic acid, d-lysine); G, guanosine; G-D-GL, G-modified D-GL; LN-T, lymph node T cells; MMC, mitomycin C; MMC-GSC, MMC-treated G-modified syngeneic spleen cells; αMM, methyl α-d-mannoside; IL-2, interleukin 2; MMC-SAC, MMC-treated splenic adherent cells; NMS, normal mouse serum; ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; PLL, poly-l-lysine; TBS-Tween, 0.015 M Tris-HCl buffered saline containing 0.05% Tween 20; BGG, bovine gamma globulin; BSA, bovine serum albumin; AP, alkaline phosphatase