Characterization of rat CD8+ uveitogenic T cells specific for interphotoreceptor retinal-binding protein 1177-1191.
The uveitogenic T cells that mediate experimental autoimmune uveitis are commonly assumed to be exclusively CD4(+). In the present study, we showed that, although a panel of long-term cultured rat uveitogenic T cell lines specific for the interphotoreceptor retinal-binding protein peptide, R16, all expressed CD4, approximately 40% of the R16-specific uveitogenic T cells freshly prepared from Ag-immunized rats were CD8(+)alphabetaTCR(+), as demonstrated by CFSE staining. We showed that the expansion of these CD8(+)alphabetaTCR(+) T cells was Ag-specific and that highly purified CD8(+) R16-specific T cells were able to induce uveitis on transfusion into naive rats. Moreover, CD8(+) uveitogenic T cells more readily switched phenotype from, and to, TCR(-)CD8(-)CD4(-) during in vivo or in vitro activation compared with their CD4(+) counterparts. In a previous study, we showed that highly purified CD8(+) myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-specific T cells induced more severe autoimmune encephalomyelitis than the corresponding CD4(+) T cells. In this study, we show that an interphotoreceptor retinal-binding protein peptide consistently activated a high proportion of CD8(+)alphabetaTCR(+) T cells, which were uveitogenic in Lewis rats.
Shao
Hui
H
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kentucky Lions Eye Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
Sun
Sheher L
SL
Kaplan
Henry J
HJ
Sun
Deming
D
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D014605:Uveitis / Q000276:immunology*
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; C084432:immunodominant R16 protein, rat