title: Human muscle-derived, tissue specific, myocytotoxic T cell lines in dermatomyositis.
abstract: Mononuclear cells were isolated from the inflamed muscle tissue of a patient suffering from dermatomyositis (DM). These were expanded in long-term culture and maintained in the presence of IL-2 containing culture medium. Two cell lines were established, one of the helper/inducer (OKT4+) and the other of the suppressor/cytotoxic phenotype (OKT8+). The OKT4+ cell line exhibited a non HLA-restricted, tissue-specific, myocytotoxic effect on rat muscle cell culture. Its lymphoproliferative response to human muscle antigen was HLA-restricted. The OKT8+ cell line exhibited a non HLA-restricted, tissue-specific response to muscle antigens and no myocytotoxic activity in in vitro rat muscle cell culture. It is likely that clones of OKT4+ lymphocytes in patients suffering from DM are associated with the pathogenesis of the disease--they probably mediate the diffuse damage to skeletal muscle through their myocytotoxic activity.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009132:Muscles / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D010375:Pedigree; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*