CD4+ T cells from collagen-induced arthritic mice are essential to transfer arthritis into severe combined immunodeficient mice

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Abstract
The role of T lymphocytes in the adoptive transfer of collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) in DBA/IJ mice to severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice was investigated. Spleen cells from non‐immunized, type I collagen (CI) or type II collagen (CII)‐immunized DBA/I J mice were injected into SCID mice which lack functional T and B cells. Specific antigenic stimulation of arthritogenic cells was required since only lymphocytes from arthritic CIA mice plus simultaneous administration of CII transferred arthritis to 11 of 12 SCID mice with a marked increase in CII antibody titre. However, CI‐immunized or non‐immunized DBA/IJ mice cells did not induce arthritis in SCID mice, SCID recipients of pre‐arthritic CIA lymphocytes presented increase in CII antibody, but showed no clinical signs of arthritis, suggesting that antibodies to CII alone can not induce CIA. Depletion of CD4+ T cells inhibited the transfer of arthritis to SCID mice, with a decrease in CII antibody titre in chimaeras. In contrast, depletion of CD8+ cells enhanced the onset of arthritis in SCID mice. The results imply that CD4+ T cells are required for the induction of CIA. In addition, CD8 + T cells might have a suppressive role in the etiology of this disease. It is probable that memory CD4+ T cells stimulate production of antibodies to CII and subsequent arthritis. This study clarifies the role of T lymphocytes in the transfer of CIA lo SCID mice.