title: Acquisition of functional MHC class II/peptide complexes by T cells during thymic development and CNS-directed pathogenesis.
abstract: This study provides evidence that both rat and mouse thymic and splenic T cells express significant levels of MHC class II glycoproteins (MHCII) in vivo. Derivation of rat and mouse chimeras revealed that a major source of MHCII on thymic T cells was acquired from radioresistant host APC. Expression of MHC on thymic T cells appeared physiologically relevant because presentation of rat myelin basic protein (RMBP) by nonadherent, radiosensitive thymic T cells was associated with the adoptive transfer of tolerance. Mature MBP-specific effector T cells isolated from the CNS in both rat and mouse models of EAE also expressed significant levels of MHCII. Adoptive transfer of activated B10.PL MBP/I-A(u)-restricted TCR transgenic T cells into F1(C57BL/6 x B10.PL) mice revealed acquisition of allogeneic I-A(b) on encephalitogenic CNS-derived T cells. Overall, this study indicates that immature and mature T cells in rats and mice acquire functional MHCII in vivo during thymic development and pathogenic inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, NC 27858-4354, USA.
authors.forename: Mindi R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mannie
mesh_terms: D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology*; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000276:immunology; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology*; D011828:Radiation Chimera; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013045:Species Specificity; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007376:Interleukin-2; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D010446:Peptide Fragments