INHIBITION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPONTANEOUS AUTOIMMUNE-THYROIDITIS IN THE OBESE STRAIN (OS) CHICKENS BY IN-VIVO TREATMENT WITH ANTI-CD4 ORANTI-CD8 ANTIBODIES

The involvement of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in pathogenesis of sponta neous autoimmune thyroiditis (SAT) in obese strain (OS) chickens has n ot been studied in depth until now. We depleted CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cel ls in OS chickens by treatment with murine monoclonal anti-CD4 or anti -CD8 antibodies at 3 day intervals beginning at hatching. The birds we re killed at 19-25 days of age. Treatment with anti-CD4 antibody compl etely prevented SAT development, while treatment with anti-CD8 antibod y partially inhibited SAT. These results show the critical role of CD4 (+) T cells in the development of SAT in OS chickens, and indicate tha t CD8(+) T cells are also involved in SAT pathogenesis. (C) 1998 Acade mic Press Limited.