Self-reactive T cells are activated by the 65-kDa mycobacterial heat-shock protein in neonatally thymectomized mice.
To elucidate the mechanism of autoimmune disease in neonatally thymectomized (NTX) mice, we have investigated the responsiveness of the self-reactive T cells which have not undergone clonal deletion in such animals. Consistent with a recent report (Yuuki et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 1990. 20: 1475), T cells bearing V beta 11-gene products capable of recognizing I-E-encoded molecules were readily detected in the mature T cell pool of NTX BALB/c (I-Ed, Mls-2a) mice. The V beta 11-bearing T cells in NTX mice expressed interleukin 2 receptors and responded normally to signals delivered through the T cell receptor. Notably, these T cells in NTX mice proliferated significantly after culture with the 65-kDa mycobacterial heat-shock protein, whose amino acid sequence is highly homologous to that in eukaryotes. These results suggest that self-reactive T cells in NTX mice may be activated by heat-shock proteins derived from various pathogens and/or stressed autologous cells, resulting in the development of autoimmune diseases in such animals.
Iwasaki
A
A
Department of Immunology, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Yoshikai
Y
Y
Yuuki
H
H
Takimoto
H
H
Nomoto
K
K
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000276:immunology; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D017252:CD3 Complex; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000276:immunology*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013934:Thymectomy
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; C024138:I-E-antigen; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta