Resistance to collagen‐induced arthritis in Biozzi mice is not associated with T cell receptor Vβ gene polymorphism

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Abstract
H‐I and H‐II high antibody‐responder Biozzi mice, which express the H‐2q permissive haplotype, were shown to be sensitive and refractory to collagen‐induced arthritis, respectively. To assess a possible role of T cell receptor (TcR) Vβ gene deletion or polymorphism in the resistance to arthritis in H‐II mice, the germinal structure of TcR Vβ genes and their expression at the membrane level were compared in both lines. In contrast to H‐2q refractory SWR mice, which exhibit a deletion of about 50% of TcR Vβ gene segments, H‐I and H‐II lines have an identical and complete set of Vβ genes and exhibit no difference in the average expression of Vβ6, Vβ8 and Vβ11 gene products on T cell surface. These results indicate that mechanisms other than Vβ gene deletion or polymorphism can be involved in the resistance of H‐2q‐positive mice to experimental arthritis.