A CONSTITUTIVE 65-KDA CHONDROCYTE PROTEIN AS A TARGET ANTIGEN IN ADJUVANT ARTHRITIS IN LEWIS RATS

The autoantigen in adjuvant arthritis in Lewis rats is still unknown d espite the knowledge that the 65 kDa mycobacterial heat-shock protein (hsp) is involved in the disease process. T cells and antibodies obtai ned from rats with adjuvant arthritis respond to chondrocyte membrane antigen(s). In Western blots a 65 kDa chondrocyte membrane protein (CH 65) is stained by sera from arthritic rats. In addition, spleen cells from rats with adjuvant arthritis proliferate in vitro to chondrocyte membranes and CH65 as antigens. Furthermore, pretreatment of rats with CH65 or mycobacterial hsp65 but not human hsp60, induces a significan t retardation of the onset of adjuvant arthritis in Lewis rats. The da ta suggest that CH65 is a potential autoantigen involved in the pathog enesis of adjuvant arthritis in Lewis rats.