Effect of the xid gene on graft-versus-host-induced autoantibody production in nonautoimmune mice.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVH) was used to induce an autoimmune state in F1 recipients using donor spleen cells, splenic T cells, or Lyt 1+2- splenic T cells from either normal DBA/2 mice or from DBA/2 mice carrying the X-linked immunodeficiency (xid) gene. Recipients were either nondefective (DBA/2 X CBA/N)F1 males or reciprocal cross (CBA/N X DBA/2)F1 male mice carrying the xid gene. GVH induced hypergammaglobulinemia and anti-ssDNA autoantibodies in F1 recipients. Immunodeficient (CBA/N X DBA/2)F1 recipients had less hypergammaglobulinemia and IgG anti-ssDNA than did normal (DBA/2 X CBA/N)F1 recipients. Spleen cells, splenic T cells, and Lyt 1+2- splenic T cells from immunodeficient DBA/2.xid donors were less able to induce GVH and autoimmunity than normal DBA/2 donors. These studies suggest that the xid gene may reduce the autoimmune hyperractive state, but may do so by acting on more than one cell population, including T cells.