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Coculture with autologous myotubes of cytotoxic T cells isolated from muscle in inflammatory myopathies
Author(s) -
Hohlfeld Reinhard,
Engel Andrew G.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410290509
Subject(s) - polymyositis , inclusion body myositis , dermatomyositis , cytotoxic t cell , myogenesis , myositis , cd8 , cytotoxicity , antigen , myocyte , immunology , biology , medicine , pathology , microbiology and biotechnology , in vitro , biochemistry
T‐cell lines were expanded from muscle of 10 patients with polymyositis, 5 with inclusion body myositis, 5 with dermatomyositis, and 5 with other muscle diseases. All cell lines uniformly expressed T‐cell antigens, but not natural killer cell or B‐cell antigens. The proportion of helper (CD4 + ) and cytotoxic (CD8 + ) T cells in the expanded lines was variable and showed no correlation with the diagnosis. Sixteen cell lines (6 polymyositis, 4 inclusion body myositis, 5 dermatomyositis, 1 other muscle disease) consisted predominantly of CD8 + T cells. None of these lines displayed natural killer‐like cytotoxicity but all were capable of lectin‐dependent cytotoxicity. Three of 6 polymyositis, 1 of 4 inclusion body myositis, and 1 of 5 dermatomyositis lines showed low but statistically significant cytotoxicity against autologous myotubes (6 to 27% specific 51 Cr release; effector‐target ratio, 20:1). The results demonstrate that functionally competent cytotoxic T cells can be expanded from muscle affected by inflammatory myopathies and are consistent with the hypothesis that some cytotoxic T cells recognize an autoantigen on myotubes. Further studies of this experimental system may define the molecular mechanism of T cell‐mediated muscle fiber injury and may help to identify the relevant antigens.