Aim: To investigate whether myosin activated-T lymphocytes induce myocardial autoimmune response.
Methods: Dendritic cells and T lymphocytes were isolated and purified from spleens of Lewis rats. After cocultured in the absence or presence of cardiac myosin (20 mug/mL), the sensitized or unsensitized T lymphocytes were transferred into the naive syngeneic Lewis rats by a single tail vein infusion, respectively. The recipient rats were killed on the third day, at the first and fourth week and then the histopathological changes of the rats were observed.
Results: T lymphocyte infiltration was observed on the third day. It reached the peak with occasional myocardium necrosis at the first weekend. T cell infiltration distinctly lessened at the fourth weekend. No T lymphocyte infiltration was found in kidney, liver, lung, and brain. T lymphocyte infiltration wad not detected in the heart of the transferred unsensitized T lymphocytes of the rats.
Conclusion: Myocardial autoimmune response can be induced by myosin activated T lymphocytes.