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Athymic (nude) mice fail to delete functional self-reactive helper T cells
M J Caulfield1, D Stanko, D D Isaak
1Department of Immunology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio.
Thymus
|September 1, 1993
Summary
Self erythrocytes provide thymus-independent help for antibody responses to foreign antigens. Athymic nude mice show reduced antibody production to foreign antigens, indicating persistent self-reactive helper cells without thymic deletion.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cellular immunology
Background:
- The thymus plays a crucial role in immune tolerance and T cell development.
- Understanding the role of self-antigens in immune responses is vital for immunology research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the thymic requirement for antibody responses to foreign antigens conjugated with self erythrocytes.
- To determine if self erythrocytes can provide thymus-independent, carrier-specific help for antibody production.
Main Methods:
- Athymic nude mice and euthymic mice were used.
- Antibody responses were measured using plaque-forming cell (PFC) assays.
- Foreign antigens (PnC) were coupled to self (mouse) and foreign (sheep, burro) erythrocytes.
Main Results:
- Athymic nude mice exhibited a high antibody response to PnC-mouse RBC but a low response to PnC coupled to foreign RBCs.
- The reduced response to foreign RBCs was not due to antigenic competition.
- Reconstitution of nude mice with T cells from euthymic mice did not suppress but enhanced the response to PnC-mouse RBC.
Conclusions:
- Self erythrocytes provide thymus-independent, carrier-specific help for antibody responses.
- Functional self-reactive helper T cells persist in nude mice in the absence of thymic deletion.