%0 Journal Article
%T Visualization and phenotyping of proinflammatory antigen-specific T cells during collagen-induced arthritis in a mouse with a fixed collagen type II-specific transgenic T-cell receptor ¦Â-chain
%A Patrick Merky
%A Tsvetelina Batsalova
%A Robert Bockermann
%A Balik Dzhambazov
%A Bettina Sehnert
%A Harald Burkhardt
%A Johan B£¿cklund
%J Arthritis Research & Therapy
%D 2010
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/ar3108
%X We have generated and thoroughly characterized a clonotypic antibody, which recognizes a TCR specific for the galactosylated CII(260-270) peptide in the V¦Â12-transgenic mouse. Hereby, CII-specific T cells could be quantified and followed throughout development of CIA, and their phenotype was determined by combinatorial analysis with the early activation marker CD154 (CD40L) and production of cytokines.The V¦Â12-transgenic mouse expresses several related but distinct T-cell clones specific for the galactosylated CII peptide. The clonotypic antibody could specifically recognize the majority (80%) of these. Clonotypic T cells occurred at low levels in the na£¿ve mouse, but rapidly expanded to around 4% of the CD4+ T cells, whereupon the frequency declined with developing disease. Analysis of the cytokine profile revealed an early Th1-biased response in the draining lymph nodes that would shift to also include Th17 around the onset of arthritis. Data showed that Th1 and Th17 constitute a minority among the CII-specific population, however, indicating that additional subpopulations of antigen-specific T cells regulate the development of CIA.The established system enables the detection and detailed phenotyping of T cells specific for the galactosylated CII peptide and constitutes a powerful tool for analysis of the importance of these cells and their effector functions throughout the different phases of arthritis.Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) is the most commonly used animal model for rheumatoid arthritis. Development of CIA is dependent on both B cells and T cells. The major role of B cells is to produce collagen type II (CII)-specific antibodies, and passive transfer of such antibodies has the capacity to bind cartilage in vivo and induce an acute arthritis. A major role of T cells is to aid B cells in their production of anti-CII antibodies, but they are also believed to play an active part in the disease via activation of other cell types, such as synovial macrophage
%U http://arthritis-research.com/content/12/4/R155