Resistance to development of collagen-induced arthritis in C57BL/6 mice is due to a defect in secondary, but not in primary, immune response.
Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) is a rodent model of human rheumatoid arthritis. Mice of the H-2(q) (DBA/1J) background are highly susceptible to disease whereas mice of the H-2(b) (C57BL/6, B6) background are resistant. To determine why B6 mice are resistant to disease induction, we systematically analyzed T and B cell immune responses in B6 mice, compared to DBA/1J mice, following immunization with bovine type II collagen (CII). We found that both strains showed similar T cell proliferation and cytokine responses and similar levels of anti-CII antibodies (Abs) at day 12 or day 14 of initial immunization (primary immune response), however, those B6 mice that did not develop arthritis showed a significant defect in T cell responses and significantly lower levels of anti-CII Abs following secondary boosting immunization (day 35 of initial immunization, secondary immune response) compared to DBA/1J mice. Our results define for the first time that a defective secondary immune responses in B6 mice leads to the resistance of CIA.
Pan
Meng
M
Section of Rheumatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8031, USA.
Kang
Insoo
I
Craft
Joe
J
Yin
Zhinan
Z
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D003094:Collagen / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D007110:Immunity, Active / Q000276:immunology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D007596:Joints / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism
D000906:Antibodies; D016207:Cytokines; D003094:Collagen