Autoreactive T-cell lines specific for mouse thyroglobulin.

Autoreactive T-cell specific for mouse thyroglobulin have been established and characterized. These Lyt 1+ T cells proliferated specifically in response to thyroglobulin presented by syngeneic irradiated spleen cells. The antigen-presenting cell requirements of these autoreactive T cells appeared to be the same as those for foreign antigen (PPD) reactive T cells. All lines tested required antigen-presenting cells compatible at the I-A subregion of the H-2 complex. Both T-cell types responded to antigen presented by peritoneal cells and splenic dendritic cells, but only gave optimal responses when whole spleen cells were used. The cross-reactivity patterns of responses to mouse, rat, pig and human thyroglobulins indicated that at least two different epitopes could be recognized by the autoreactive T cells. Furthermore, these epitopes appeared to be different from those recognized by the majority of serum autoantibodies to mouse thyroglobulin.