Age related changes in auto-erythrocyte rosettes in the C57BL/6J and NZB/BINJ mice

The changes in the auto-erythrocyte rosetting thymic and splenic lymphocytes and the induction of autoimmunity was followed with age in C57BL/6J and NZB/BINJ mice. The auto-erythrocyte rosetting cells (auto-RFC) showed shifts in their pattern in both thymus and spleen in C57BL/6J and NZB/BINJ mice. Both strains had approximately the same percentage (approximately 3%) of thymic auto-RFC at 1 month of age. In C57BL/6J mice the rosette population increased to 6.6% by 2 months, declined after 3 months and subsequently increased gradually with age. In contrast, the NZB/BINJ thymic auto-rosettes peaked at 4 months and gradually declined thereafter. Both the NZB/BINJ and C57BL/6J strains were tested for the presence of anti-erythrocyte antibodies by the direct Coombs' agglutination test. The results showed that at 6 and 10 months 50% and 90% of the NZB/BINJ mice were positive for antibodies, respectively, and the thymic and splenic auto-RFC dramatically decreased in numbers. In the C57BL/6J mice during this same period, very low incidence of auto-antibodies was detected by the Coombs' test and auto-RFC increased in numbers.