Articular tissues expressing the env-pX transgene are required for generation of arthritogenic T cells in human T cell leukemia virus type I transgenic rats

• Published in: Clinical and experimental rheumatology Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 313 - 316
• Main Authors: ABE, A, ISHIZU, A, FUGO, K, IKEDA, H, YOSHIKI, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pisa Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 01.05.2006
• Subjects: Adoptive Transfer; Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified; Arthritis, Experimental - genetics; Arthritis, Experimental - metabolism; Arthritis, Experimental - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Cells, Cultured; Disease Models, Animal; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Gene Products, env - genetics; Gene Products, env - metabolism; HTLV-I Infections; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 - genetics; Humans; Joints - metabolism; Joints - pathology; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous. Osteoarticular involvement in other diseases; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Retroviridae Proteins, Oncogenic - genetics; Retroviridae Proteins, Oncogenic - metabolism; T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; T-Lymphocytes - pathology; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; Human; Rat leukemia virus; Animal model; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Rheumatology; Retroviridae; Th1 lymphocyte; Arthritis; Adoptive transfer; Virus; Mammalian type C retrovirus; Immunological investigation; T-Lymphocyte; Tumor cell
• ISSN: 0392-856X; 1593-098X

Human T cell leukemia virus type I env-pX transgenic rats (env-pX rats) were used to investigate the pathogenesis of arthritis. Phenotype of cells infiltrated into arthritic joints in env-pX rats was analyzed using flow cytometry and cell-transfer experiments were done using env-pX and wild-type WKAH rats. The majority of T cells infiltrated into arthritic joints in env-pX rats exhibited a CD4 and activated phenotype. Transfer of these T cells into articular space in wild-type WKAH rats succeeded to induce arthritis similarly seen in env-pX rats. However, injection of the cells into sites other than joints did not induce inflammation. Transfer of in vitro-stimulated lymph node cells from disease-free env-pX rats into articular space did not induce arthritis in wild-type WKAH rats. These findings suggest that articular tissues carrying the env-pX transgene are required for generation of arthritogenic T cells in env-pX rats. However, the constitutive antigens other than the transgene products are recognized as immunological targets by the arthritogenic T cells in the advanced arthritic joints. Molecules expressed specifically in articular tissues may be needed to maintain the inflammatory cell infiltration.