IMMUNE CELL COOPERATION, VIRUSES, AND ANTIBODIES TO NUCLEIC ACIDS IN NEW ZEALAND MICE

The development of autoimmunity in New Zealand mice is related to genetic, immunologic, and viral factors. Evidence is presented to suggest that thymus-dependent immune functions may be depressed and bone marrow-dependent functions augmented in these mice. Antibodies to RNA and DNA appear spontaneously and can also be induced by treatment with rI·rC. Antibodies binding rI·rC-¹⁴C in human lupus sera, in NZB/NZW F₁ (B/W) mice developing lupus, and in NZB, ALN, and ALN/NZB mice have greatest specificity for reovirus double-stranded RNA. Treatment of B/W mice with RNA and cyclophosphamide induces immunologic tolerance, and suppresses antibodies binding rI·rC-¹⁴C. During recovery, the specificity of the antibodies is unaltered. Induction of tolerance in this way prevents the accelerated formation of anti-RNA antibodies normally induced by MLV. This finding suggests that virus-accelerated and natural disease occur through a similar mechanism, and supports the hypothesis that viruses may act as antigenic stimuli for a genetically hyper-responsive antibody-producing system.