Among other models of experimental RA, one that is able to break self-tolerance by inducing CII Abs production without the immunization of CII, is an experimental model of adoptive T cell transfer, in which DO11.10 CD4+ T cells (which specifically recognize a small ovalbumin peptide, OVA323-339) are skewed to a Th-1 phenotype by IL-12 and after culture are i.v. transferred followed by immunization of OVA in CFA and challenged with heat aggregated OVA (HAO). The gene discussed is CD4; the disease is rheumatoid arthritis.