title: The role of NK cells in the development of autoantibodies.
abstract: The systemic lupus erythematosus (Sle1) interval from the NZM2410 mouse strain has been shown to be responsible for high levels of autoantibody production against antinuclear antibodies (ANA) when transferred into C57BL/6 mice. B cells derived from the B6.Sle1 strain are required for the production but help from both T-dependent and independent sources have been documented. Using radiation chimeras constructed in a strain of mice that is chronically depleted of Natural killer (NK) cells, but not NKT cells, we have examined the role of NK cells in the development of ANA in this context. Our results show that in the presence of intact T cell help depletion of NK cells does not affect ANA production. However, when T cell help is compromised, the prevalence of animals producing ANA is significantly decreased suggesting that NK cells can provide help for the T-independent production of ANA. Further experiments provide a possible mechanism for the NK-cell dependence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9072, USA. dorothy.yuan@utsouthwestern.edu
authors.forename: Dorothy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Suwannee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thet
authors.forename: Xin J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Edward K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Wakeland
authors.forename: Tam
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood*; D002678:Chimera; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007668:Kidney / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D040081:Protein Array Analysis
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D011070:Poly I-C