Self-reactivity and the expression of memory markers vary independently in MRL-Mp+/+ and MRL-Mp-lpr/lpr mice.
MRL-Mp-lpr/lpr mice contain phenotypically abnormal populations of T cells, and exhibit an SLE-like autoimmune disease in which autoantibodies are a prominent feature. We analyzed the phenotype and T-cell receptor V beta expression pattern in CD4+ T cells of this mutant mouse strain to detect abnormalities that could explain the autoimmunity. The CD4+ T cells contain two distinct abnormal populations. One of these expresses B220 and HSA, and in these and other respects closely resembles the accumulating CD4-CD8- population. The other expresses a high level of CD44 (Pgp-1), and a high level of the 16A epitope of CD45, and so resembles post-activation T cells. Both of these cell types are exclusive to MRL-Mp-lpr/lpr. We also identified V beta 5- and V beta 11-positive CD4+ T cells, in both MRL-Mp-lpr/lpr and MRL-Mp-+/+ mice. We conclude that autoimmune T cells can be detected in these mice, but that they are not the cause of the accumulation of abnormal CD4+ and CD4-CD8- cells.
Smyth
L
L
ICAPB, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Howell
M
M
Crispe
I N
IN
D000818:Animals; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008806:Mice, Inbred AKR; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology*
D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta