Immunogenetics of type II collagen autoimmunity and susceptibility to collagen arthritis.

The MHC restriction of the antibody response and development of arthritis after immunization with autologous or heterologous type II collagens in mice have been investigated. Mice from three different H-2q-carrying strains (DBA/1, NFR/N and B10.G) with different non-MHC genes, as well as B10-congenic strains carrying wild type H-2q-related or H-2r haplotypes, were susceptible for collagen arthritis. All strains tested developed an antibody response cross-reacting with autologous type II collagen after immunization with heterologous type II collagen; H-2q predisposes for a high response against chick, rat and bovine type II collagen, H-2r and H-2b for a high response against bovine type II collagen. Only mouse strains with H-2q, H-2r, H-2w3 or H-2w17 were responders to mouse type II collagen, and only these strains developed arthritis after immunization with heterologous or autologous type II collagens. These findings indicate that the ability to mount an immune response against autologous type II collagen is a prerequisite for the susceptibility to collagen arthritis. A cross-reactive autoimmune response after immunization with various heterologous type II collagen may enhance further the development of arthritis.