Splenic but not thymic autoreactive T cells from New Zealand Black mice respond to a dominant erythrocyte Band 3 peptide

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Abstract
Previous work from our laboratory suggested that erythrocyte Band 3 peptide 861–874 is the dominant epitope recognized by splenic T cells from adult New Zealand Black (NZB) mice that are developing autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA). Here, it is shown that splenic T cells from 6‐week‐old NZB mice mount a vigorous in vitro proliferative response to peptide 861–874 and some other selected Band 3 peptides. As the donors grow older, splenic T cells respond to an increasing number of Band 3 peptides and the magnitude of their response also becomes greater. Splenic T cells from 3‐week‐old NZB mice still responded vigorously to peptide 861–874 and Band 3. By contrast, neither thymocytes nor single‐positive CD4‐enriched thymus cells from NZB mice responded to peptide 861–874 or Band 3, although they responded to concanavalin A (Con A). However, thymocytes from mice expressing a transgenic T‐cell receptor (TCR)‐specific for myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide Ac 1–9 responded vigorously to Ac 1–9. It is considered that the T‐cell response of NZB mice to Band 3 is initially focused on peptide 861–874 and later spreads to other Band 3 peptides as the disease progresses and that peptide 861–874‐reactive T cells are primed in the periphery rather than the thymus.