title: Isolation of self antigen-reactive cells from inflamed islets of nonobese diabetic mice using CD4high expression as a marker.
abstract: The low precursor frequency of Ag-reactive CD4+ T cells has been a barrier to the study of CD4+ T cell responses to conventional Ags as well as CD4+ T cell responses to autoantigens recognized during the course of an autoimmune disease. We have recently reported that all "conventional Ag" reactive CD4+ T cells are contained within the subpopulation expressing high levels of the CD4 molecule, termed CD4high. We have identified a CD4high population in the islets of Langerhans of prediabetic nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice that is extremely potent in transferring disease. As few as 500 CD4high islet-infiltrating CD4+ T cells transferred insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus to CD8 reconstituted NOD-SCID mice within 30 days of transfer. In contrast, CD4high T cells isolated from either NOD spleen or salivary glands did not transfer insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus into similar CD8-reconstituted NOD-SCID recipients. These data indicate that the precursor frequency of NOD islet-reactive, pathogenic CD4+ T cells is much higher in the prediabetic NOD pancreas than in these other organs. The islet-infiltrating CD4high T cells displayed selected memory markers, by cell surface analysis, and displayed a Th 1 phenotype by RNase protection assay, but had a marked decrease in IL-4 mRNA determined by quantitative real time PCR when compared with the less pathogenic CD4normal islet-infiltrating T cells. Use of the CD4high marker to select Ag activated T cells represents a tool to isolate and study pathogenic CD4+ T cells from autoimmune lesions in which the Ag has not been previously defined.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lejon
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Fathman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000637:transplantation; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000637:transplantation; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D002469:Cell Separation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D017634:Self Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D015415:Biomarkers; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D015847:Interleukin-4