Figure 7

Transfer of scurfy CD4 ⁺ T cells induces autoantibody production in B6/nude mice. Purified CD4⁺ T cells from lymph node single-cell suspensions of scurfy (Sc) and wild-type (WT) mice were transferred intravenously into immunocompromised B6/nude mice. Four weeks after transfer, the sera (diluted 1:100) of the recipient B6/nude mice were analyzed for the presence of autoantibodies. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) (a and b) and anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibodies (c and d) were positive in sera of B6/nude mice after transfer of scurfy CD4⁺ T cells, but could not be induced by transfer of WT CD4⁺ T cells or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) injection. After transfer of scurfy CD4⁺ T cells from lymph node single-cell suspensions, kidneys of recipient mice showed murine immunoglobulin G deposits in glomerula, whereas recipient mice that received transferred WT CD4⁺ T cells or PBS did not (e). (a), (c) and (e) show one representative stain, and (b) and (d) summarize data of all mice from two independent experiments (n = 10 for scurfy or WT T cell-injected mice, n = 2 for PBS-injected mice). P-values are given in the figure.