Auto-delayed-type hypersensitivity induced in immunodeficient mice with modified self-antigens. V. Cellular...

X-irradiated (250 rads) A mice injected with syngeneic trinitrophenylated spleen cells (Syn-TNP-SC) developed syngeneic delayed-type hypersensitivity (Syn-DTH) after footpad challenge with syngeneic concanavalin A-induced lymphoblasts (Syn-Con A blasts), as indicated by footpad swelling and lymph-node proliferation assays. Genetic analysis with different recombinant strains of mouse revealed that the H-2Dd subregion restricts these immunological activities. A small immunogenic entity was isolated from Syn-TNP-SC extract by gel filtration and affinity chromatography with anti-Dd antibody. X-irradiated A mice injected with this antigen also generated inflammatory responses after challenge with Syn-Con A blasts. Analysis of the data obtained from the gel filtration and the affinity chromatography suggest that the Syn-DTH-stimulating antigen is a fragment of the H-2Dd heavy chain with a molecular weight (MW) of 5,000 to 10,000. This fragment does not contain TNP molecules or sugar moieties and neither does it express affinity for antibodies against class II products. Ltk-cells transfected with the H-2Dd gene also induced Syn-DTH in X-irradiated A mice, while the parent cells failed to stimulate such a response. Taken together these findings indicate that the selection process in the thymus is not absolute and T cells recognizing self-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) products do migrate from this organ to the periphery of the immune system. The possible biological significance of these autoreactive cells is discussed.