The abnormal T lymphocytes in lpr mice transcribe interferon‐γ and tumor necrosis factor‐α genes spontaneously in vivo

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Abstract
The autoimmune mouse strain MRL/MPJ/lpr/lpr is characterized by accumulation of an abnormal T cell population which does not express CD4 or CD8 surface antigens. These cells were thought to be immunologically inert based on their inability to proliferate in response to a variety of T cell mitogens. We investigated the capacity of these cells to express lymphokine genes using a sensitive RNase protection assay. RNA was isolated from abnormal T cells which were purified directly from diseased animals, either as CD4−/CD8− or as fluorescence-activated cell sorter-isolated B220/Thy-1 cells. These RNA preparations contained no detectable interleukin (IL)2, IL4, IL5 or IL6 transcripts, but did contain transcripts of genes for interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α. Thus, this expanded population of abnormal cells spontaneously expresses these two lymphokines which have many interacting effects on the immune system, and may have important roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease in lpr mice.