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Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes
Published on: September 26, 2013
TNF-alpha is crucial for the development of autoimmune arthritis in IL-1 receptor antagonist-deficient mice
Reiko Horai1, Akiko Nakajima, Katsuyoshi Habiro
1Center for Experimental Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract:
IL-1 receptor antagonist-deficient (IL-1Ra(-/-)) mice spontaneously develop autoimmune arthritis. We demonstrate here that T cells are required for the induction of arthritis; T cell-deficient IL-1Ra(-/-) mice did not develop arthritis, and transfer of IL-1Ra(-/-) T cells induced arthritis in nu/nu mice. Development of arthritis was also markedly suppressed by TNF-alpha deficiency. We found that TNF-alpha induced OX40 expression on T cells and blocking the interaction between either CD40 and its ligand or OX40 and its ligand suppressed development of arthritis. These findings suggest that IL-1 receptor antagonist deficiency in T cells disrupts homeostasis of the immune system and that TNF-alpha plays an important role in activating T cells through induction of OX40.
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