PRODUCTION OF ERYTHROCYTE AUTOANTIBODIES IN NZB MICE IS INHIBITED BY CD4 ANTIBODIES

NZB mice spontaneously develop haemolytic anaemia as the result of pro duction of erythrocyte autoantibodies. The mechanisms leading to break down in tolerance to erythrocyte autoantigens are unknown. Antibodies to CD4 have been successfully used to treat several murine models of a utoimmune disease. In this study we injected NZB mice with non-depleti ng CD4 antibodies and were able to prevent and abrogate erythrocyte au toantibody production in young (Coombs' negative) and old (Coombs' pos itive) mice, respectively. Our data indicate the dependency of autoant ibody production on CD4(+) T cells. However, withdrawal of anti-CD4 an tibodies resulted in the appearance of erythrocyte autoantibodies, sho wing that under these conditions we were unable to re-establish tolera nce to autoantigens on erythrocytes using anti-CD4 treatment.