Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is characterized by the presence of high titers of anti-U1-70kD autoantibodies which are the result of substantial B cell activation. The hprt gene encodes the constitutively expressed enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase which is active in the purine salvage pathway. Rapidly dividing cells randomly accumulate gene mutations, including mutations in the hprt gene. These mutations may be used to identify activated cells. If activated T cells play a role in the pathogenesis of MCTD, an increased frequency of mutations in the hprt gene might be expected among T cells isolated from such patients. To examine this hypothesis, we isolated and cloned T cells from 10 anti-U1-70kD-autoantibody-positive MCTD patients and determined the precursor frequencies of cells possessing mutations in hprt by comparing the frequency of cells grown in the presence and absence of the purine analogue 6-thioguanine. We found that the frequency of 6-thioguanine-resistant hprt-negative T cells was significantly increased among MCTD patients (mean 566/10(6); range 122-2,845/10(6)) versus age- and sex-matched controls (mean 42/10(6); range 21-78/10(6); p < 0.003). These results demonstrate that there is an increase in the measured mutant frequency of T cells from MCTD patients. Such T cells may play a role in the pathogenesis of this disease.