Relationship between thyroid peroxidase T cell epitope restriction and antibody recognition of the autoantibody immunodominant region in human leukocyte antigen DR3 transgenic mice

Jin Guo, Sandra M. McLachlan, Pavel N. Pichurin, Chun Rong Chen, Nancy Pham, Holly A. Aliesky, Chella S. David, Basil Rapoport

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody and T lymphocyte epitopes in TPO-adenovirus (TPO-Ad) immunized BALB/c mice and mice transgenic for the human class II molecule DR3 associated with human thyroid autoimmunity. TPO autoantibodies are largely restricted to an immunodominant region (IDR). BALB/c mice immunized with fewer (107 vs. 109) TPO-Ad particles developed TPO antibodies with lower titers that displayed greater restriction to the IDR. However, as with higher-dose TPO-Ad immunization, T cell epitopes (assessed by splenocyte interferon-γ response to TPO in vitro) were highly diverse and variable in different animals. In contrast, DR3 mice immunized the higher TPO-Ad dose (109 particles) had high TPO antibody levels that showed relative focus on the IDR. Moreover, T cell epitopes recognized by splenocytes from DR3 mice showed greater restriction than BALB/c mice. Antibody affinities for TPO were higher in DR3 than in BALB/c mice. The present study indicates that weak TPO-Ad immunization of BALB/c mice (with consequent low TPO antibody titers) is required for enhanced IDR focus yet is not associated with T cell epitopic restriction. Humanized DR3 transgenic mice, despite stronger TPO-Ad immunization, develop higher titer TPO antibodies that do focus on the autoantibody IDR with T cells that recognize a more limited range of TPO peptides. These data suggest a relationship between major histocompatibility complex class II molecules and the development of antibodies to the IDR, a feature of human thyroid autoimmunity.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)4961-4967
Number of pages7
JournalEndocrinology
Volume146
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2005

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Endocrinology

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