SKGmouse,asamodelofspontaneousrheumatoidarthritis(RA)bredrecentyears,issimilartothepatientswithRA.WeanalyzedtheclonotypesofTcellinfiltratingintojointsofSKGmiceininitialstageandlatestageofRAbyusingreversetranscriptase-polymerasechainreaction(RT-PCR)andsubsequentsingle-strandconformationpolymorphism(SSCP).TheresultsindicatedthatthepercentagesofclonotypesTCRVβ2andVβ8.2ofTcellcionotypesincreasedobviouslyto72.3%and60.2%,respectively.MicenumberwithidenticalTCRVβ2andVβ8.2clonotypesalsoclearlyincreasedinlatestageofdiseaseto100%and75%,respectively.TheseresultsmeanthatTcellswithTCRVβ2andVβ8.2clonotypesprobablyplayanimportantroleinRAprogressionofSKGmouse.SequencingoftheextractedDNAverifiedthatcommonbandsonSSCPgelwerederivedfromthesameTcellclonesamongsamplesfromdifferentjoints.TheresultsweobtainedimpliedthatRT-PCR/SSCPmethodwasasensitiveandcrediblemethodforanalyzingTcellclonotypes.WhentheTcellsofSKGmousewereadoptivelytransferredtoanudemouse,itwasverifiedthattheTcellsinfiltratingintojointswererelatedtomorbidformationofRA.
