title: Induction of autoreactive B cells allows priming of autoreactive T cells.
abstract: A novel mechanism for breaking T cell self tolerance is described. B cells induced to make autoantibody by immunization of mice with the non-self protein human cytochrome c can present the self protein mouse cytochrome c to autoreactive T cells in immunogenic form. This mechanism of breaking T cell self tolerance could account for the role of foreign antigens in breaking not only B cell but also T cell self tolerance, leading to sustained autoantibody production in the absence of the foreign antigen.
authors.affiliation: Section of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mamula
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hardin
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Janeway
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II