Altered expression of self-reactive T cell receptor V beta regions in autoimmune mice

Intrathymic tolerance results in elimination of T cells bearing self-reactive TCR V beta regions in mice expressing certain combinations of I-E and minor lymphocyte stimulatory (Mls) phenotypes. To determine if autoimmune strains of mice have a defect in intrathymic deletion of self-reactive TCR V beta regions, expression of V beta 3, V beta 6, V beta 8.1, and V beta 11 were examined in lpr/lpr and +/+ strains of mice; MRL/MpJ(H-2K, I-E+, Mlsb,), C57BL/6J(H-2b, I-E-, Mlsb,), C3H/HeJ(H-2k, I-E+, Mlsc), AKR/J(H-2k, I-E+, Mlsa); and in autoimmune NZB/N(H-2d, I-E+, Mlsa) and BXSB(H-2b, I-E-, Mlsb) mice. The results suggest that, during intrathymic development, self-reactive T cells are deleted in autoimmune strains of mice as found in normal control strains of mice. However, the TCR V beta repertoire is skewed in autoimmune strains compared to normal strains of mice. For example, MRL-lpr/lpr mice, but not other lpr/lpr strains, had increased expression of V beta 6 relative to expression in control MRL(-)+/+ mice, which is associated with collagen-induced arthritis. These data are consistent with a model of normal affinity for negative selection of self-reactive T cells in the thymus of autoimmune strains of mice followed by expansion of autoreactive T cell clones in the peripheral lymphoid organs. The peripheral lymphoid organs of lpr/lpr mice contain an expanded population of abnormal CD4-, CD8-, 6B2+ T cells. Elimination of self-reactive peripheral T cells suggests that these abnormal cells are derived from a CD4+ subpopulation in the thymus. Flow cytometry analysis of peripheral lymph node T cells from MRL-lpr/lpr mice reveal three populations of CD4+ T cells expressing low, intermediate and high intensity of B220 (6B2). This supports the hypothesis that in lpr/lpr mice, self-reactive CD4+ T cells are eliminated in the thymus, and that these cells lose expression of CD4 and acquire expression of 6B2 in the periphery.