Activation of diverse repertoires of autoreactive T cells enhances the loss of anti-dsDNA B cell tolerance
J. Clin. Invest. Brian W. Busser, et al. 112:1361 doi:10.1172/JCI18310 [Go to this article.]

Figure 2
ANA production during cGVHD requires a diverse repertoire of CD4⁺ T cells. (a) cGVHD was induced in naive B6 mice. Serum was serially obtained and tested for IgG levels by ELISA. Each point represents the mean of 7–10 mice. All class II–reactive T cell repertoires stimulated a significant increase (P < 0.05) in total IgG at all time points tested as compared with B6 → B6. (b) Serum from mice 12 weeks after cGVHD induction was assayed for the production of IgG ANAs by indirect immunofluorescence of Hep-2 cells. B6→B6 serum failed to stain Hep-2 nuclei (zero of eight). cGVHD induction with K14 (eight of eight) and bm12 (seven of seven) CD4⁺ T cells induced a homogenous nuclear staining, whereas cGVHD induction with 2-2-3/K14 (zero of ten) and H2-DM^–/– (one of ten) CD4⁺ T cells failed to stain the nucleus. Representative results are shown. (c) Serum from cGVHD mice was tested for the presence of IgG anti-chromatin autoantibodies by ELISA. K14 and bm12 CD4⁺ T cells induced a significant increase in anti-chromatin autoantibodies (P < 0.05). 2-2-3/K14 and H2-DM^–/– CD4⁺ T cells failed to significantly increase (P > 0.05) autoantibody production at all time points tested compared with B6 → B6. Each point represents the mean of 7–10 mice.