| First Author | De Jersey J | Year | 2004 |
| Journal | Immunology | Volume | 111 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 254-61 |
| PubMed ID | 15009425 | Mgi Jnum | J:131885 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3774783 | Doi | 10.1111/j.1365-2567.2004.01821.x |
| Citation | De Jersey J, et al. (2004) Factors affecting the susceptibility of the mouse pituitary gland to CD8 T-cell-mediated autoimmunity. Immunology 111(3):254-61 |
| abstractText | We have previously shown, in a transgenic mouse model, that the pituitary gland is susceptible to CD8 T-cell-mediated autoimmunity, triggered by a cell-specific model autoantigen, resulting in pan-anterior pituitary hypophysitis and dwarfism. In the present study, we now demonstrate that antigen dose, the T-cell precursor frequency, the degree of lymphopenia and the context of target antigen expression, are important parameters determining the time course and extent of the pathological consequences of CD8 T-cell-mediated autoimmunity. Furthermore, our data indicate that the pituitary gland is susceptible to CD8 autoimmunity following an inflammatory insult such as a viral infection. As lymphocytic hypophysitis may be manifest in other autoimmune conditions, and the pituitary gland may be susceptible to T-cell-mediated pathology after immunization with a virus expressing soluble pituitary antigen, it is important to consider that strategies based on vaccination against soluble pituitary gonadotrophins could have other unexpected endocrine consequences. |
