AUTOREACTIVE CD4(-) CD8(-) ALPHA-BETA T-CELLS TO VACCINATE ADJUVANT ARTHRITIS

Studies suggested that experimental autoimmune diseases can effectivel y be prevented and treated by application of normal autoreactive T cel ls or autoreactive T cells in an attenuated form. In this study, sever al autoreactive CD4(-) CD8(-) T-cell clones (A2, A6, and A13 cells) we re isolated for the first time from the draining lymph nodes of Lewis rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA). Surprisingly, intraperitoneal inocu lation with A13 cells, but not A2 or A6 cells protected rats from AA b oth clinically and histologically. It was demonstrated that A13 cells were CD4(-) CD8(-) T cells, and showed proliferative responses to irra diated syngeneic spleen cells (antigen-presenting cells; APC). Interes tingly, A13 cells proliferated against concanavalin A (Con A) and stap hylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), but did not show any proliferation to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mt), or its 65000 MW heat-shock protein (H SP). Rats protected from AA by inoculation with A13 cells showed a spe cific anti-idiotypic delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction compared w ith other autoreactive T cells (A2 or A6 cells). These findings demons trate that AA can be suppressed by autoreactive CD4(-) CD8(-) ap T cel ls, and these cells may be used as therapeutic agents in experimental autoimmunity.