IdLNF1-Specific T Cell Clones Accelerate the Production of IdLNF1+ IgG and Nephritis in SNF1Mice

• Published in: Journal of autoimmunity 1995-06, Vol.8 (3), p.367-380
• Main Authors: Knupp, Corey J., Uner, Aysegul Hasegeli, Tatum, Arthur H., Kakanar, Jaikrishnan R., Gavalchin, Jerrie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0896-8411; 1095-9157
• DOI: 10.1006/jaut.1995.0029

We have shown that antibodies bearing a nephritogenic idiotype (IdLNF1) are important in the pathogenesis of autoimmune glomerulonephritis in the (NZB×SWR)F1hybrid, SNF1. A significant shift in the ratio of CD4+to CD8+IdLNF1-specific T lymphocytes, in favour of CD4+IdLNF1-specific T cells, occurred at 22-24 weeks of age in the SNF1and correlated with an increase in serum IdLNF1+ IgG and its deposition in the kidney. Recently, we reported the characteristics of six IdLNF1-specific T cell clones (CD3+CD4+CD8−Vβ17a+) derived from 22-week-old SNF1mice which proliferated in response to IdLNF1+ Ig and augmented IdLNF1+ IgG production when mixed with SNF1B cellsin vitro. No increase in the production of anti-DNA antibodies was seen. Here we report results of the adoptive transfer of three of these clones, A1, B6 and D2, into 6-8-week-old SNF1mice. Serum immunoglobulin (Ig) (IgG and IgM) levels did not differ from those of age-matched unmanipulated SNF1up to and including 35 days post-injection. Similarly, total IdLNF1+ Ig levels did not vary significantly among the groups until 28 days post-injection. However, elevated levels of IdLNF1+ IgG were observed as early as 7 days post-injection in mice receiving clone B6 and 21 days post-injection in mice receiving clone D2. This was in sharp contrast with the results obtained in mice treated with clone A1 or unmanipulated SNF1mice, which did not express IdLNF1+ IgG during this period. Digital image analysis of the kidney glomeruli of mice receiving T cell clones B6 or D2 demonstrated a significantly (P