Protection against streptococcal cell wall-induced arthritis by pretreatment with the 65-kD mycobacterial heat shock protein.
We report that streptococcal cell wall (SCW)-induced arthritis in rats, a T cell-dependent chronic, erosive polyarthritis, can be prevented by pretreatment of the rats with the mycobacterial 65-kD heat shock protein. This 65-kD protein shows extensive amino acid homology with prokaryotic and eukaryotic 65-kD heat shock proteins and is a ubiquitous bacterial common antigen. Both the clinical and histopathologic manifestations of the arthritis were prevented completely when rats were pretreated with 50 micrograms of 65-kD protein intraperitoneally at 35, 25, 15, or 5 d before administration of SCW. In such protected rats, SCW-specific T cell responses were suppressed, as compared with responses in arthritic rats. Pretreatment with 65-kD protein had no effect on the production of antibodies against SCW, on a nonspecific inflammatory reaction (zymosan-induced arthritis), or on general cellular immunity in vivo (delayed type hypersensitivity reaction to a nonrelated protein antigen). Furthermore, the protection against SCW arthritis was transferable by splenic T cells to naive recipients. Our data show that pretreatment with the 65-kD mycobacterial heat shock protein protects rats against a subsequent bacterium-induced arthritis. This protection is immunologically specific and resides in the lymphoid cell population.
van den Broek
M F
MF
Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Hogervorst
E J
EJ
Van Bruggen
M C
MC
Van Eden
W
W
van der Zee
R
R
van den Berg
W B
WB
D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000276:immunology; D003429:Cross Reactions; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins