Pristane induced arthritis. II. Genetic regulation in F1 hybrid mice and cellular immune abnormalities following pristane injection.

Pristane-induced arthritis was investigated in DBA/1, DBA/2, and BALB/c mice, and F1 hybrid mice generated from inter-crosses between these strains. The incidence of disease in F1 hybrid mice was significantly lower than the susceptible parental strains (DBA/1 and BALB/c), and resistance to arthritis was observed in both DBA/2 mice and the (DBA/2 x BALB/c) F1 hybrid mice. Several cellular immune abnormalities were observed in pristane-injected DBA/1 mice. Con A mitogen responses were depressed following pristane injection, and a functional suppressor cell population was detected. Delayed type hypersensitivity responses to type II collagen were observed in pristane injected mice. The intraperitoneal injection of pristane appears to alter immune regulation and induce autoimmune responses to connective tissue components.