Activation of B cells by autoreactive T cells: cloned autoreactive T cells activate B cells by two distinct pathways.

Although the existence of autoreactive T cells has been widely reported, the functional capacities of these populations have been less well defined. Studies were therefore carried out to characterize the relationship of autoreactive T cells to antigen-specific major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted T cells in their ability to act as helper cells for the induction of immunoglobulin synthesis by B cells. A number of autoreactive T cell lines and clones were isolated from antigen-primed spleen and lymph node cell populations. Autoreactive T cells were found to proliferate in response to direct recognition of syngeneic I-A or I-E subregion-encoded antigens in the absence of any apparent foreign antigen. It was shown that cloned autoreactive T cells were capable of activating B cell responses through two distinct pathways. After appropriate stimulation by syngeneic cells, autoreactive T cells polyclonally activated primed or unprimed B cells to synthesize IgM antibodies. These activated T cells functioned in these responses through an MHC-unrestricted pathway in which polyclonal responses were induced in both syngeneic and allogeneic B cells. These cloned autoreactive T cells were also able to activate IgG responses by primed B cells through a different activation pathway. In contrast to the polyclonal activation of IgM responses, the induction of IgG antibodies by the same cloned T cells required primed B cells and stimulation with the priming antigen. The activation of B cells to produce IgG was strongly MHC restricted and required the direct recognition by the autoreactive T cells of self MHC determinants expressed on the B cell surface, with no bystander activation of allogeneic B cells. These results indicate that cloned autoreactive T cells resemble antigen-specific MHC-restricted T cells in their ability to function as T helper cells through distinct MHC-restricted and MHC-unrestricted pathways.