URTICA-DIOICA AGGLUTININ, A V-BETA-8.3-SPECIFIC SUPERANTIGEN, PREVENTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS-LIKE PATHOLOGY OF MRL LPR LPR MICE/

The V beta 8.3-specific superantigenic lectin Urtica dioica agglutinin (UDA) was used to delete the V beta 8.3(+) T cells in MRL lpr/lpr mic e. In contrast to the systemic lupus erythematosus-like pathology whic h progresses with age in the phosphate-buffered saline-injected MRL lp r/lpr controls, UDA-treated animals did not develop overt clinical sig ns of lupus and nephritis. The pathogenic T cell clones thus reside wi thin the V beta 8.3(+) T cell population, which includes an expanded T cell clone described previously. Finally, UDA alters the production o f autoantibodies in a sex-dependent manner.