Ability of NZW but not NZB antigen-presenting cells to support T cell proliferative response to DNA methylated albumin.

The genetic contribution of the parental NZB and NZW mouse to the antigen-induced, macrophage-dependent, lymph node T cell proliferative response to d-DNA-mBSA was studied in F1 hybrid NZB/NZW (B/W) mice. Mice were immunized subcutaneously in the tail with denatured DNA-methylated BSA. Primed T cells from these mice were obtained after passage of immune periaortic and inguinal lymph node cells through nylon wool. The primed T cells were exposed in vitro to d-DNA-mBSA presented on spleen cells from BALB/c, DBA/2, NZB, NZW, or B/W mice. Immune B/W T cells gave a substantial proliferative response only in the presence of antigen-presenting cells from B/W or NZW mice. These results suggest that the response of B/W mice to DNA occurs primarily through the NZW H-2 haplotype of their own antigen-presenting cells.