| First Author | Mauri C | Year | 1997 |
| Journal | J Immunol | Volume | 159 |
| Issue | 10 | Pages | 5032-41 |
| PubMed ID | 9366431 | Mgi Jnum | J:177826 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5296316 | Doi | 10.4049/jimmunol.159.10.5032 |
| Citation | Mauri C, et al. (1997) Treatment of a newly established transgenic model of chronic arthritis with nondepleting anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody. J Immunol 159(10):5032-41 |
| abstractText | We established a novel animal model for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by following backcrossing to DBA/1 of (SWR/J x DBA/1)F1 TCR-beta Tg mice, previously reported to be highly susceptible to collagen-induced arthritis. These mice evolved, upon collagen type II immunization, into a chronic arthritis that histopathologically resembles RA. The availability of such a model prompted us to study the role of CD4+ T cells throughout the evolution of disease. Here, we show that administration of nondepleting anti-CD4 not only prevented the evolution of disease but also treated established arthritis. Moreover, functional analyses of T cells isolated from anti-CD4-treated mice demonstrated that the mechanism of protection is not achieved by suppression of the Th1 population but is mediated by induction of collagen type II-specific T cell anergy. Our study suggests that: 1) CD4+ T cells have a fundamental role both in the induction and in the perpetuation of disease; 2) targeting T cells may be an appropriate therapeutic option; and 3) a suitable and well-balanced anti-CD4 treatment may be a valid approach to the control of RA. |
