Myelin basic protein-reactive T cells persist in an inactive state in the bone marrow of Lewis rats that have recovered from autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Abstract Lewis rats immunized with guinea pig myelin basic protein residues 68–86 develop acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and recover. The predominant T cell receptor expressed by the encephalitogenic T cells is TCRBV8S2. They persist in bone marrow many weeks after recovery. CD3 is down-regulated, but > 90% express CD4. They fail to proliferate to GPMBP68–86 unless a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor is added to the cultures. Perhaps these are memory T cells that are maintained in a suppressed state in BM by a nitric oxide-dependent mechanism.