Reduced XXXX -expressing splenic @entity6689 + B lymphocytes in severe collagen-induced @entity625 .

@entity625 @entity19 @entity636 @entity60 @entity1618 @entity1961 @entity9699 @entity6689 @entity393 @entity204 @entity309
INTRODUCTION: The objective was to study immune regulation in a @entity19 model of @entity309 that exhibits considerable heterogeneity of disease activity. METHODS: T-cell receptor @entity19 , in which nearly all @entity1961 + T cells recognize a single peptide of type II collagen, were immunized with collagen and observed for development of @entity625 for 4 weeks. At 28 days post-immunization, splenocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry and in vitro assays for markers of immune activation and regulation. RESULTS: Disease severities ranging from 0 to 12 (on a 12-point scale) were observed. Among splenic lymphocyte populations, only the @entity6689 + B-cell subset displayed a @entity393 as @entity625 severity increased. Splenic @entity6689 + B cells expressed higher levels of @entity9699 ( @entity9699 ) than did @entity1961 + T cells or @entity6689 - B cells in all mice, and antigen-dependent @entity204 correlated with higher levels of @entity6689 + B cells in cocultures. Ratios of @entity636 to @entity60 production were higher in antigen-driven cultures of splenocytes from severely arthritic @entity19 compared to mildly or nonarthritic @entity19 . A correlation was established between the reduced production of @entity636 in antigen-driven T-cell/B-cell cocultures and @entity9699 , but not @entity1618 . Confirmation of the direct killing effect of B cells on T cells was demonstrated using an antigen-specific T hybridoma cell line. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced numbers of splenic @entity9699 + @entity6689 + B cells correlated with increasing @entity625 severity and @entity204 in a T-cell receptor transgenic @entity19 model of collagen-induced @entity625 . These 'killer' B cells may provide a novel mechanism for inducing @entity204 as a treatment for @entity625 .
