T cell responses to a non-glycosylated epitope predominate in type II collagen-immunised HLA-DRB1*0101 transgenic mice
Aim: To study collagen-induced arthritis in human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DR1 transgenic mice lacking endogenous major histocompatibility complex class II molecules (MHC-II) and to determine T cell specificity against the arthritogenic CII259-273 epitope of type II collagen either unmodified or post-translationally glycosylated at Lys(264). Methods: Arthritis was induced by immunisation with human