Anti-T-cell receptor therapy in murine experimental systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Experimental systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), similar to that observed after immunization with the human anti-DNA mAb 16/6 Id +, could be induced in mice by injection of 16/6 Id specific T-cell lines. The above T-cell lines were exclusively CD4 + CD8 − and the majority of cells expressed the V β8 T-cell receptor (TCR) gene products. Furthermore, lymph node cells of mice immunized with the 16/6 Id were enriched with CD4 +V β8 + T-cells. The TCR used by 16/6 Id-specific T-cells showed a limited homology in their CDR3 junctional regions. Nevertheless, mice injected with the anti-V β8 mAb developed autoantibody titers that were not significantly different from those found in the non-treated, 16/6 Id-injected group.