Autoreactive T cells in mercury‐induced autoimmunity. Demonstration by limiting dilution analysis

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Abstract
Mercuric chloride is responsible in Brown‐Norway rats for an autoimmune disease that is autoregulated. Previous studies have shown that this agent induces T cell‐dependent polyclonal B cell activation in these rats. Evidence has also been obtained for the existence of autoreactive T cells which play a role in the evolution of this process. In the present study, limiting dilution analysis was used to demonstrate that (a) frequent autoreactive T helper cells which proliferate in the presence of T cells from HgCI2‐injected rats are present from day 4; (b) frequent auto‐anti‐Ia T helper cells which recognize normal B cells as well as B cells from HgCIinjected rats appear from day 6; and (c) less frequent T suppressor cells which could play a role in auto‐regulation emerge from day 14.

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