Oligoclonal expansion of muscle infiltrating T cells in inclusion body myositis

J Neuroimmunol. 1997 Nov;79(2):185-9. doi: 10.1016/s0165-5728(97)00122-7.

Abstract

Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is the most common muscle disease affecting individuals over 50 years of age. An important feature of IBM is invasion of muscle fibers by T cells. The muscle infiltrating T cells show a restricted usage of variable (V) alpha/beta gene families. In this study we have investigated the clonality of T cells using two of the predominant V beta families i.e. V beta 3 and V beta 8 in three patients with IBM. The study was performed by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, followed by cloning and sequencing of the T cell receptor complementarity determining region 3. We found oligoclonal expansion of V beta 3 bearing muscle infiltrating T cells in two patients and of V beta 8 in one patient, supporting the concept that antigen stimulated T cells are important in the pathogenesis of IBM. Results of HLA typing indicated a genetic predisposition for the disease by the presence of DR3, DR52 and DQB1*0201/0202 in all three patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cloning, Molecular*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / genetics
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multigene Family
  • Muscles / pathology*
  • Myositis, Inclusion Body / genetics
  • Myositis, Inclusion Body / pathology*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / genetics
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / pathology*
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta