ACTIVATION OF T-CELLS RECOGNIZING SELF 60-KD HEAT-SHOCK PROTEIN CAN PROTECT AGAINST EXPERIMENTAL ARTHRITIS

Lewis rats are susceptible to several forms of experimental arthritis- induced using heat-killed Mycobarterium tuberculosis (adjuvant arthrit is, or AA), streptococcal cell walls, collagen type II, and the lipoid al amine CP20961. Prior immunization with the mycobacterial 65-kD heat shock protein (hsp65) was reported to protect against AA, and other a thritis models not using M. tuberculosis, via a T cell-mediated mechan ism. Hsp65 shares 48% amino acid identity with mammalian hsp60, which is expressed at elevated levels in inflamed synovia. Several studies h ave reported cross-reactive T cell recognition of mycobacterial hsp65 and self hsp60 in arthritic and normal individuals. We previously desc ribed nine major histocompatibility complex class II-restricted epitop es in mycobacterial hsp65 recognized by Lewis rat T cells. Of these on ly one, covering the 256-270 sequence, primed for cross-reactive T cel l responses to the corresponding region of rat hsp60. Here we have tes ted each hsp65 epitope for protective activity by immunizing rats with synthetic peptides. A peptide containing the 256-270 epitope, which i nduced cross-reactive T cells, was the only one able to confer protect ion against AA. Similarly, administration of a T cell line specific fo r this epitope protected against AA. Preimmunization with the 256-270 epitope induced T cells that responded to heat-shocked syngeneic antig en-presenting cells, and also protected against CP20961-induced arthri tis, indicating that activation of T cells recognizing an epitope in s elf hsp60 can protect against arthritis induced without mycobacteria. Therefore, in contrast to the accepted concept that cross-reactive T c ell recognition of foreign and self antigens might induce aggressive a utoimmune disease, we propose that cross-reactivity between bacterial and self hsp60 might also be used to maintain a protective self-reacti ve T cell population. This discovery might have important implications for understanding T cell-mediated regulation of inflammation.