Figure 8. T15-NAb protects from inflammatory arthritis.

(A) DBA/1 mice were immunized with CII and boosted on day 20. T15-NAb at 2 mg/dose, isotype control, apoptotic thymocytes or necrotic cells (2.5 × 10⁷) in saline, or saline alone were administered weekly. T15-NAb and apoptotic-cell treatments significantly reduced clinical arthritis joint scores compared to control treatments (isotype control, saline and necrotic cells) (P<0.001 by Bonferroni test). The isotype control group was not significantly different than saline-treated group. Data are pooled from two independent studies with separate treatment and control groups of four mice (total N=8). Depicted are mean values+/−SEM. (B) Protective T15-NAb reduced inflammatory cellular infiltrates in CIA. Compared to isotype control treatment at left, T15-IgM anti-PC NAb significantly reduced cartilage and bone destruction (arrowhead), and greatly reduced level of cellular infiltrates (arrow)(40Xmag). Below, knees from control-treated mice had progressive pathologic changes of compromised articular cartilage that is shown with safranin O (bright orange), while T15-IgM provided protection from cellular infiltrates, and cartilage and bone destruction. (C) Histologic arthritis scores are depicted for CIA treatment study, with values derived as previously described (28). (D) To induce autoantibody-mediated arthritis, BALB/c mice received a commercial cocktail of anti-CII antibodies, and data represent sequential measurements from two independent studies with separate treatment and control groups of four mice (total N=8). Weekly T15-NAb infusions significantly reduced arthritis based on clinical scores of joint scores, compared to saline or isotype control-treated mice, with P<0.0022 at the peak d14 response. Depicted are mean values +/− SD.