Natural occurrence of thymocytes that react with myelin basic protein.

In adult strain 13 guinea pigs, two lines of evidence show that there are natural autoreactive thymocytes that can react with myelin basic protein (BP) or the encephalitogenic nonapeptide (EP). An autoradiographic binding assay revealed antigen-specific receptors for 125I-BP on thymocytes. A 3H-thymidine antigen-specific proliferation assay demonstrated that normal thymocytes were activated by EP- or BP-pulsed macrophages. Soluble BP suppressed the activation of thymocytes by macrophage-associated BP. The mode of presentation of BP or EP, whether macrophage-associated or soluble, may be critical in maintaining self-tolerance and preventing an autoimmune attack on the central nervous system.