Analysis of Pancreas-Infiltrating T Cells in Diabetic NOD Mice: Fusion with BW5147 Yields a High Frequency of Islet-Reactive Hybridomas

Abstract

Diabetes in NOD mice is an autoimmune disease which is characterized by the infiltration of islets of Langerhans by large numbers of T cells. Some of these infiltrating T cells are clearly islet-cells-specific¹; however, many or most of these T cells could be attracted nonspecificity into these lesions. To study NOD pancreas-infiltrating T cells, we fused these cells with BW5147 to make T cell hybridomas. Ninety-four pancreas-derived T hybrids were analyzed of which 12 responded specifically to islet cells by secreting IL-2. Only CD3⁺, CD4⁺ hybrids responded to islet cells in our assay, and a large proportion of these hybrids were islet-cell reactive. T cell receptor (TCR) Vβ element usage was heterogeneous in islet-reactive hybridomas.

Key Words:

• NOD mice
• diabetes
• autoagressive T cells
• T hybridomas
• insulitis
• T cell receptor