Induction of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis in mice with in vitro activated splenic T cells.

Spleen cells from CBA/J or SJL mice sensitized with mouse thyroglobulin (MTg) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) could be activated in vitro with MTg to transfer experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) to normal syngeneic recipients. EAT induced by these transferred cells was similar in incidence and severity to EAT induced by active immunization of mice with MTg and adjuvant and cells from EAT-resistant Balb/c mice could not be activated to induce EAT. The specific antigen MTg was required both for initial sensitization of the mice and for activation of spleen cells in vitro. The cells that were active in transferring EAT to mice were shown to be T cells. Removal of B cells from the cultured spleen cells had no effect on the ability of the cells to induce EAT.