Autoimmune syndrome after neonatal induction of tolerance to alloantigens: Analysis of the specificity and of the cellular and genetic origin of autoantibodies
Abstract
BALB/c mice neonatally injected with 108 semiallogenic (C57BL/6×BALB/c)FI spleen cells become tolerant to the H-2b alloantigens, but also develop a wide range of autoimmune manifestations characteristic of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Indeed, in these mice, the presence of a hypergammaglobulinaemia, auto-antibodies - including anti-ssDNA, anti-platelet, thymocytotoxic and rheumatoid factor antibodies - circulating immune complexes, cryoglobulins as well as renal glomerular deposition of immunoglobulins have been observed. In this study, we have shown that the allogenic effect and B cell chimaerism which characterize these F1 cell-injected mice is associated with the expression of a large spectrum of autoantibodies, including anti-ssDNA and anti-cytoskeleton antibodies, and that these autoantibodies are not multispecific. We took advantage of the fact that, in this model, autoantibodies are exclusively produced by F1 donor B cells to inject newborn BALBlc mice with FI Xid spleen cells lacking the CD5+B cell subset. Injection of 2×108 FI Xid spleen cells triggers the production of anti-ssDNA as well as anti-BrMRBC antibodies, and these mice developed tissue lesions. Finally, analysis of the VH gene family expressed by monoclonal autoantibodies derived from F1 cell-injected mice showed that they used the 2 largest families J558 and 7183. These results suggest that the allogenic effect and B cell chimerism which characterize the neonatal induction of tolerance to MHC alloantigens is associated with the selective triggering of autoreactive B cells producing monospecific IgG autoantibodies. They also imply that upon stimulation by persisting alloreactive CD4+ T cells, either CD5- B cells are able to produce autoantibodies or autoantibody-producing CD5+ B cells can differentiate from xid spleen cells. © 1991 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.
Publication Title
Autoimmunity
Recommended Citation
Schurmans, S., Merino, J., Qin, H., & Kramar, G. (1991). Autoimmune syndrome after neonatal induction of tolerance to alloantigens: Analysis of the specificity and of the cellular and genetic origin of autoantibodies. Autoimmunity, 9 (4), 283-291. https://doi.org/10.3109/08916939108997130
