T cell responses to streptococcal antigens in rats: relation to susceptibility to streptococcal cell wall-induced arthritis.
In order to investigate the immunological mechanism of the chronic phase of streptococcal cell wall (SCW)-induced arthritis in Lewis rats, we compared the SCW-specific T cell response in arthritis-susceptible (female Lewis) and resistant (F344) rats. We present evidence that this T cell response is absent in F344 rats, while it is clearly present in Lewis rats. The T cell response was analyzed both in the spleen and in lymph nodes. In addition, we show, that injection of SCW in the F344 rat induces a general unresponsiveness in this strain: the response to mitogen was severely suppressed in SCW-injected F344 rats and, furthermore, when SCW was coinjected with ovalbumin, the response to ovalbumin was depressed. The fact that priming with ovalbumin alone induces a normal response in the F344 rat to both mitogen and ovalbumin implies that the observed abnormality after SCW priming is not a general immunological defect in this strain. Additionally, we demonstrate that adherent cells of both Lewis and F344 exert negative effects on an in vitro T cell response after injection with SCW, and that F344-adherent cells are more potent in this effect. Removal of OX8-positive cells leads to a restoration of the SCW-specific T cell response in SCW-injected F344 rats, indicating that the expression of this response is controlled by (SCW-specific?) suppressor T cells. Our results provide suggestive evidence for the obligatory role of SCW-specific T cells in the expression of chronic joint inflammation after systemic injection of SCW.
van den Broek
M F
MF
Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
van Bruggen
M C
MC
van de Putte
L B
LB
van den Berg
W B
WB
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001168:Arthritis / Q000276:immunology*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial