B cells and dendritic cells from V kappa 8 light chain transgenic mice activate MRL-lpr/gld CD4+ T cells

J Immunol. 2006 Jul 1;177(1):45-52. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.177.1.45.

Abstract

Autoreactive CD4+ T cells are required for full expression of disease in human systemic lupus erythematosus and in spontaneous murine lupus. However, the Ag specificity of these CD4+ T cells remains largely unknown. Rheumatoid factor (RF) B cells function as highly efficient APCs by taking up immune complexes (IC) and presenting IC constituents to T cells. We hypothesized that Ag-specific CD4+ T cells in lupus-prone mice could be identified by stimulating the CD4+ T cells with RF B cells from AM14 RF BCR transgenic mice pulsed with IC containing lupus-associated autoantibodies and autoantigens. This approach identified several independent T cell lines that proliferated robustly in response to IC-pulsed spleen cells from the AM14 RF BCR transgenic mice. However, these T cells did not recognize an IC constituent. Instead, these T cells recognized a determinant dependent on the inheritance of the transgene-encoded Vkappa8 L chain, most likely a neoantigen created by the insertion of the transgene into the genome. Additionally, although the precise nature of the neoantigen is not known, the T cells described in this report may provide a useful tool for examining the role of T cells in the RF autoantibody response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • B-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism*
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology
  • Humans
  • Hybridomas
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains / immunology
  • Lymph Nodes / cytology
  • Lymph Nodes / immunology
  • Lymph Nodes / metabolism
  • Lymphocyte Activation / genetics*
  • Lymphocyte Depletion
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Inbred MRL lpr
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / genetics*
  • Rheumatoid Factor / genetics
  • Spleen / cytology
  • Spleen / immunology

Substances

  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains
  • Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell
  • Rheumatoid Factor