title: Autoreactive T cells in MRL/Mpr-lpr/lpr mice. Characterization of the lymphokines produced and analysis of antigen-presenting cells required.
abstract: Lymph node cells from 4-wk-old MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice, but not from MRL/Mp-+/+ mice, when cultured in vitro for 5 to 7 days, will spontaneously proliferate and produce IL-2. We examined the expression of several cell surface Ag on lymph node cells from MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice before and after in vitro culture. There is an increase in the expression of Thy-1, L3T4, IL-2R, T cell activating protein, T cell receptor, and T3 complex on the surface of cultured cells. Cultured cells produced IL-3, IFN-gamma, and small but detectable amounts of IL-1 in addition to IL-2. Gamma irradiation of APC from young MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice or treatment of APC with a mAb (J11D) and C, completely abrogated their stimulatory capacity. These experiments suggest that B cells are the predominant APC responsible in the activation of autoreactive T cells in MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice. Lymph node cells from C57BL/6-lpr/lpr or C3H-lpr/lpr mice were unable to spontaneously proliferate or produce IL-2. Lymph node cells from (MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr x C57BL/6-lpr/lpr) F1 mice or (C3H-lpr/lpr x MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr) F1 mice did proliferate and produced IL-2 after in vitro culture. Using T cells from these F1 animals and APC from each parental haplotype, we found that APC from MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice induced more proliferation and greater amounts of IL-2, when compared to APC from F1 animals. APC from C57BL6-lpr/lpr mice or C3H-lpr/lpr were unable to induce spontaneous proliferation and IL-2 production. Therefore, B cells from MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice appear to possess unique features that enable them to activate autoreactive T cells more effectively than B cells from other mice bearing the lpr/lpr gene.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000528:radiation effects; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010641:Phenotype; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007377:Interleukin-3; D008222:Lymphokines; D007371:Interferon-gamma