title: Defective selection of thymic regulatory T cells accompanies autoimmunity and pulmonary infiltrates in Tcra-deficient mice double transgenic for human La/Sjögren's syndrome-B and human La-specific TCR.
abstract: A human La/Sjögren's syndrome-B (hLa)-specific TCR/hLa neo-self-Ag double-transgenic (Tg) mouse model was developed and used to investigate cellular tolerance and autoimmunity to the ubiquitous RNA-binding La Ag often targeted in systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren's syndrome. Extensive thymic clonal deletion of CD4(+) T cells occurred in H-2(k/k) double-Tg mice presenting high levels of the I-E(k)-restricted hLa T cell epitope. In contrast, deletion was less extensive in H-2(k/b) double-Tg mice presenting lower levels of the epitope, and some surviving thymocytes were positively selected as thymic regulatory T cells (tTreg). These mice remained serologically tolerant to hLa and healthy. H-2(k/b) double-Tg mice deficient of all endogenous Tcra genes, a deficiency known to impair Treg development and function, produced IgG anti-hLa autoantibodies and displayed defective tTreg development. These autoimmune mice had interstitial lung disease characterized by lymphocytic aggregates containing Tg T cells with an activated, effector memory phenotype. Salivary gland infiltrates were notably absent. Thus, expression of nuclear hLa Ag induces thymic clonal deletion and tTreg selection, and lymphocytic infiltration of the lung is a consequence of La-specific CD4(+) T cell autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104; and.
authors.forename: Jane C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Yaciuk
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104;
authors.forename: Yujun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104;
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104;
authors.forename: Zi-Jian
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104;
authors.forename: Jacen S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Maier-Moore
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104.
authors.forename: Stanley D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kosanke
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104;
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104; and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104; and farrisd@omrf.org.
authors.forename: A Darise
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3009-2017
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Farris
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019673:Genes, T-Cell Receptor alpha / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D000097585:SS-B Antigen
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D000097585:SS-B Antigen