T-LYMPHOCYTE REPERTOIRE IN THEILERS VIRUS ENCEPHALOMYELITIS - THE NONSPECIFIC INFILTRATION OF THE CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM OF INFECTED SJL J MICE IS ASSOCIATED WITH A SELECTIVE LOCAL T-CELL EXPANSION/

Theiler's virus causes, in the susceptible SJL/J mouse, a chronic demy elinating disease that resembles multiple sclerosis. Demyelination is at least in part immune mediated and coincides with the infiltration o f the central nervous system by T lymphocytes. We analyzed the reperto ire of the T cell receptor (TcR) beta-chain for each V beta-J beta com bination. in spinal cord and spleen T cells of infected animals. All V beta families were detected in spinal cord as well as in spleen, as i f the central nervous system were undiscriminantly invaded by T cells in the infected animals. Some T cells, defined by specific V beta-J be ta combinations, were expanded in the spinal cord but not in the splee n, most probably because of an antigen-driven response. The TcR beta-c hain repertoire of infiltrating T cells was the same at the onset of d emyelination as when the disease was full-blown. These results provide the first description of the repertoire of the T cells which infiltra te the central nervous system during the course of this disease.