T-cell receptor V beta 8 has no significant suppressive effect on collagen-induced arthritis.

To elucidate the in-vivo role of T lymphocytes in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), treatment with anti-CD4 or anti-T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta 8 monoclonal antibody (mAb) was performed in CIA mice. As the result of injection with each mAb, CD4-positive cells were incompletely deleted in the peripheral blood and lymph nodes, whereas TCR-V beta 8-positive cells were completely deleted. In the anti-CD4-mAb-treated mice, the development of arthritis was markedly suppressed in association with a lower antibody response to type II collagen. However, the treatment with anti-TCR-V beta 8 mAb did not alter either the arthritis symptoms or the antibody response. These results suggest that the development of arthritis is regulated by T cells, most probably CD4-positive cells, and not by TCR-V beta 8-positive cells.