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R W Motte

Publications and source records attributed to R W Motte.

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Participation of Vbeta13(+) and Vbeta1(+) T cells in transfer thyroiditis after activation of mouse thyroglobulin-primed T cells by superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin A.

Murine experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) is a T-cell-mediated disease, but the T cell receptor (TCR) Vbeta gene usage in pathogenesis has not been well delineated. One approach is to utilize bacterial superantigens, such as staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) A and B, to stimulate known sets of TCR Vbeta families in mouse thyroglobulin (mTg)-primed cells for thyroiditis transfer. Our previous use of SEB to activate mTg-primed cells led to no thyroiditis transfer, despite a major increase in Vbeta8(+) T cells. Unlike SEB, SEA activation did transfer thyroiditis. To determine which thyroiditogenic Vbeta(+) T cells were involved, SEA-activated T cells have now been analyzed. After repeated SEA activation in vitro, both mTg-reactive and thyroiditogenic cells persisted. FACS analysis indicated that most Vbeta13(+) cells were "large" cells (IL-2R(+)) and expressed the activation marker, transferrin receptor (CD71). RT-PCR analysis also showed the presence of both Vbeta13(+) and SEA-reactive Vbeta1(+) cells. Since our previous analyses by RT-PCR of the thyroid infiltrate after either induction or adoptive transfer have implicated both Vbeta13(+) and Vbeta1(+) cells, their activation by SEA to transfer thyroiditis further supports their role.

Animals↗

Primary hormonogenic sites as conserved autoepitopes on thyroglobulin in murine autoimmune thyroiditis: role of MHC class II.

A few synthetic peptides corresponding to amino acid sequences on human thyroglobulin (Tg) have been reported to induce moderate thyroiditis or activate mouse Tg (MTg)-primed T cells to transfer thyroiditis in mice susceptible to experimental autoimmune thyroiditis. Using three pairs of 12-mer peptides (1-12, 2549-2560, 2559-2570), with thyroxine (T4) or noniodinated thyronine (T0) at the conserved, hormonogenic site 5, 2553, or 2567 respectively, we reported that iodination was not required for a Tg hormonogenic site to be a thyroiditogenic autoepitope. To determine the relative importance of MHC class II and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire, we compared two EAT-susceptible k and s (CBA and A.SW) haplotypes and their respective MHC-identical strain (C57BR and SJL) with approximately 50% genomic deletion of TCR Vbeta genes. Whereas k and s strains develop MTg-induced EAT, vigorous immunization with peptides containing T4 or T0 at either 5 or 2553, but not at 2567, led to mild (10-20%) thyroiditis only in some mice of either k strain. TCR Vbeta gene differences played a minor role. T cell responses to all peptide pairs were quite similar in CBA and C57BR mice, and both hT0(2553) and hT4(2553) reciprocally primed and stimulated their T cells. In adoptive transfer, SJL mice were somewhat more responsive to peptide activation than A.SW but much weaker than k strains. By comparing T4- and T0-containing peptides in different haplotypes, we show further that antigenicity of conserved hormonogenic sites is intrinsic, dependent more on amino acid sequence and binding to appropriate class II molecules and less on TCR repertoire or iodination of T0.

Adoptive Transfer↗

Role of mouse and human class II transgenes in susceptibility to and protection against mouse autoimmune thyroiditis.

Mouse experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT), a model for Hashimoto's thyroiditis, is induced by immunizing with mouse thyroglobulin (MTg). To study the extent of H2A involvement in EAT, we introduced AaAb genes from susceptible k mice into resistant or intermediately susceptible strains which do not express H2E molecules. Thyroiditis was severe in resistant B10.M (H2(f)) mice carrying the double transgene AakAbk. Likewise, thyroid infiltration was significantly extended in intermediate B10.Q (H2(q)) mice with the same transgene. To examine the effect of H2E molecules in the presence of H2A-mediated susceptibility, we introduced an Eak transgene into E- B10.S mice to express the Ebetas molecule and observed significant reduction in EAT severity in B10.S(E+) mice. On the other hand, the presence of an Ebd transgene in B10.RQB3 (H2Aq) mice resulting in the expression of H2Ebetad molecules did not alter EAT susceptibility, suggesting a role for Eb gene polymorphism in protection against EAT. We have shown recently that the HLA-DRB1(*)0301 (DR3) transgene conferred EAT susceptibility to B10. M as well as class II-negative B10.Ab0 mice. However, we report here that the HLA-DQB1(*)0601 (DQ6b) transgene in B10.M or HLA-DQA1(*)0301/DQB1(*)0302 (DQ8) transgene in class II-negative Ab0 mice did not. These studies show the differential effects of class II molecules on EAT induction. Susceptibility can be determined when class II molecules from a single locus, H2A or HLA-DQ, are examined in transgenic mice, but the overall effect may depend upon the presence of both class II molecules H2A and H2E in mice and HLA-DQ and HLA-DR in humans.

Animals↗

HLA-DRB1 polymorphism determines susceptibility to autoimmune thyroiditis in transgenic mice: definitive association with HLA-DRB1*0301 (DR3) gene.

Familial clustering of autoimmune thyroid diseases has led to studies of their association with human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II genes. One such gene implicated in Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is HLA-DR3, but the association is weak and is contradicted by other reports. On the other hand, murine experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT), a model for HT, presents a clear linkage with MHC class II. Moreover, it is inducible with thyroglobulin (Tg), the common autoantigen in either species. Immunization of HLA-DRB1* 0301 (DR3) transgenic mice with mouse or human Tg resulted in severe thyroiditis. In contrast, transgenic mice expressing the HLA-DRB1*1502 (DR2) gene were resistant to EAT. Our studies show that HLA-DRB1 polymorphism determines susceptibility to autoimmune thyroiditis and implicate Tg as an important autoantigen.

Animals↗

V beta 8.2 transgene expression interferes with development of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis in CBA k/q but not k/k mice.

The thyroiditogenic T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire is not yet well defined in murine experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT). Our recent work has shown that, while V beta 8+ T cells have no major role in EAT induction with mouse thyroglobulin (MTg), V beta 13 may be involved. To examine the effect of skewing the TCR repertoire on EAT development, CBA (H2k) mice were mated with B10.Q mice harboring an ovalbumin-specific V beta 8.2 TCR transgene (trg), and the trg+ mice were backcrossed to CBA. FACS analysis showed that peripheral blood T cells from trg+ mice had about 76 and 90% V beta 8.2+ cells in the CD4+ and CD8+ subsets, respectively, compared with about 15 and 11% in trg- sibs. The transgenic CBA k/k and k/q mice were immunized with MTg and sacrificed 28 days later. In all trg+ mice, anti-MTg titers and T cell proliferative responses to MTg were significantly lowered. However, thyroid infiltration was distinctly different in the two strains of transgenic mice; a significant decrease was seen primarily in k/q, but not k/k, trg+ mice. Thus, skewing the TCR repertoire to overexpress an irrelevant TCR revealed the possession of a less flexible thyroiditogenic TCR repertoire in k/q, but not k/k, mice.

Animals↗

Primary hormonogenic sites as conserved autoepitopes on thyroglobulin in murine autoimmune thyroiditis. Secondary role of iodination.

We hypothesized earlier that conserved T cell epitopes and those unique to mouse thyroglobulin (MTg) contributed to its total thyroiditogenicity in murine autoimmune thyroiditis. Recent studies of synthetic peptides from human Tg (HTg) revealed no immunodominant epitopes. The role of iodine residues, considered by some to render Tg immunogenic, became unclear, since only one 12-mer peptide contained thyroxine (T4) positioned at hormonogenic site 2553. It primed T cells for thyroiditis transfer, but noniodinated peptide containing thyronine (T0) was not compared. To determine 1) whether other primary hormonogenic sites were likewise immunogenic and 2) whether iodination was requisite for this and other sites to be an autoepitope, we derivatized three pairs of 12-mer peptides, 1-12, 2549-2560, 2559-2570, containing T0 or T4 at positions 5, 2553, or 2567, respectively. The six peptides were used to stimulate MTg-primed cells in vitro and to immunize mice. None directly induced thyroiditis; peptide Abs were the lowest in mice given hT0(2567) or hT4(2567). Of the three T4-containing peptides, hT4(5) and hT4(2553), but not hT4(2567), stimulated MTg-primed or HTg-primed T cells in vitro, with hT4(2553) being the stronger. Comparing hT0(2553) with hT4(2553), both activated MTg-primed, or peptide-primed, T cells to transfer thyroiditis. The marked immunogenicity of noniodinated hT0(2553) and the poor antigenicity of hT4(5) and hT4(2567) demonstrate that immunogenicity of a conserved hormonogenic site is dependent more on its amino acid sequence than on T4 substitution. Iodination may enhance antigenicity and/or binding affinity, but it is not required for a Tg hormonogenic site to be an autoepitope.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Noninvolvement of V beta 8+ T cells in murine thyroglobulin-induced experimental autoimmune thyroiditis.

In experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) induced with mouse thyroglobulin (MTg), T cell receptor (TCR) V beta gene usage in the pathogenesis of disease is unknown. We report here studies evaluating V beta 8 gene usage in EAT, as V beta 8+ T cells are reportedly involved in some experimental autoimmune diseases. Spleen cells (SC) from MTg-immunized CBA/J (H-2k) mice were activated in vitro for adoptive transfer into syngeneic recipients. Elimination of V beta 8+ T cells by treating recipients with V beta 8 monoclonal antibody (mAb) following transfer of MTg-activated SC did not reduce disease severity. Conversely. MTg-primed SC were stimulated in vitro with V beta 8 mAb or staphylococcal enterotoxin B, which activates V beta 8+ T cells in CBA/J mice. Neither activated population transferred disease, in contrast to cells activated with MTg. Thus, in MTg-induced EAT, V beta 8+ T cells do not play a major role in pathogenesis.

Animals↗