title: In vitro regulation of the pathogenic autoantibody response of New Zealand black mice. I. Loss with age of suppressive activity in T cell populations.
abstract: An investigation of the regulation of specific anti-self responses was initiated with the development of an in vitro system in which spleen cells from NZB mice were stimulated by syngeneic mouse erythrocytes (MRBC) to produce MRBC-specific autoantibody-secreting cells. The response was measured by a modification of the focus-forming cell (FFC) assay, which enumerates cells secreting IgG, which specifically bind MRBC. Spleen cells from 9- to 12-mo-old NZB mice developed MRBC-specific FFC after 3 to 5 days in culture with MRBC. Few FFC were detected in the absence of MRBC in culture. Spleen cells from young (1- to 4-mo-old) NZB mice developed few if any FFC. Spleen cell populations containing T cells from young NZB mice suppressed this anti-MRBC response, whereas B cell populations from these young mice did not. In contrast, spleen cells, including T cell-enriched populations from old, Coombs'-positive mice were not capable under the same conditions of producing equivalent suppression of this in vitro autoimmune response. These data suggest that a population of suppressor T cells that may control the autoimmune anti-MRBC response in young NZB mice is lost, or else its activity is masked in old NZB mice that are actively producing anti-MRBC antibody.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Calkins
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D002452:Cell Count; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D000939:Epitopes