Inhibition of autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice by transgenic restoration of H2-E MHC class II expression: additive, but unequal, involvement of multiple APC subtypes.

Transgenic restoration of normally absent H2-E MHC class II molecules on APC dominantly inhibits T cell-mediated autoimmune diabetes (IDDM) in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. We analyzed the minimal requirements for transgenic H2-E expression on APC subtypes (B lymphocytes vs macrophages/dendritic cells (DC)) to inhibit IDDM. This issue was addressed through the use of NOD stocks transgenically expressing high levels of H2-E and/or made genetically deficient in B lymphocytes in a series of genetic intercross and bone marrow/lymphocyte chimera experiments. Standard (H2-E(null)) NOD B lymphocytes exert a pathogenic function(s) necessary for IDDM. However, IDDM was inhibited in mixed chimeras where H2-E was solely expressed on all B lymphocytes. Interestingly, this resistance was abrogated when even a minority of standard NOD H2-E(null) B lymphocytes were also present. In contrast, in NOD chimeras where H2-E expression was solely limited to approximately half the macrophages/DC, an active immunoregulatory process was induced that inhibited IDDM. Introduction of a disrupted IL-4 gene into the NOD-H2-E transgenic stock demonstrated that induction of this Th2 cytokine does not represent the IDDM protective immunoregulatory process mediated by H2-E expression. In conclusion, high numbers of multiple subtypes of APC must express H2-E MHC class II molecules to additively inhibit IDDM in NOD mice. This raises a high threshold for success in future intervention protocols designed to inhibit IDDM by introduction of putatively protective MHC molecules into hemopoietic precursors of APC.