Sensitivity to methylmercury-induced autoimmune disease in mice correlates with resistance to apoptosis of activated CD4+ lymphocytes.

The sensitivity of splenic lymphoid cells to apoptosis induced by low concentrations of methylmercury (MeHgCl) has been examined in C57BL/6 and SJL mice, which are, respectively, resistant and sensitive to a genetically determined autoimmune disease induced by subtoxic doses of MeHgCl. To determine the implications of subtoxic doses of MeHgCl in the susceptibility of SJL mice to autoimmune disease, Concanavalin A (ConA) stimulated spleen cells from both mouse strains were treated in vitro with MeHgCl concentrations varying between 0.001 and 1.