Lymphokine production by encephalitogenic and non-encephalitogenic T-cell clones reactive to the same antigenic determinant

Identification of astrocyte-derived immune suppressor factor that induces apoptosis of autoreactive T cells

In experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis, apoptosis of T cells is mainly seen at inflammation sites of the central nervous system (CNS). Cumulative data suggests that astrocytes might render T cells susceptible to induction of apoptotic cell death. We observed that apoptotic cell death of proteolipid protein (PLP)-reactive T cells was induced by an interferon (IFN)-γ-treated astrocyte cell line. In this study, we have identified and cloned the genes derived from the IFN-γ-treated astrocyte cell line that induce apoptosis of autoreactive T cells. We created subtraction cDNA libraries from the IFN-γ-treated astrocyte cell line and obtained 100 positive clones. After screening of subtracted cDNAs, we found two candidate genes that induced apoptosis of the PLP-reactive T cell line. The first is a previously unknown gene of 726 base pairs that we named astrocyte-derived immune suppressor factor (AdIF). It contained an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 228 amino acids. The second was SPARC/osteonectin, a multifunctional glycoprotein secreted in the extracellular matrix. AdIF protein was found at the inflammatory sites of the EAE brain, and bound to the surface of CD4(+) T cells. Purified recombinant AdIF protein inhibited the proliferation of activated PLP-reactive CD4(+) T cells and induced their apoptosis in vitro. Intravenous administration of recombinant AdIF protein to mice with in which acute EAE was induced prevented the incidence of EAE and suppressed the symptoms. The newly discovered molecule AdIF may render auto-reactive T cells susceptible to the induction of apoptotic cell death and could potentially be a new therapeutic agent for multiple sclerosis.

Passive induction of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a widely used animal model of the human demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis. EAE is initiated by immunization with myelin antigens in adjuvant or by adoptive transfer of myelin-specific T cells, resulting in inflammatory infiltrates and demyelination in the central nervous system. Induction of EAE in rodents typically results in ascending flaccid paralysis with inflammation primarily targeting the spinal cord. This protocol describes passive induction of EAE by adoptive transfer of T cells isolated from mice primed with myelin antigens into naïve mice. The advantages of using this method versus active induction of EAE are discussed.

Nonmyelin-specific T cells accelerate development of central nervous system APC and increase susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Previously we demonstrated that both myelin-specific and nonmyelin-specific rat T cells were capable of accelerating the development of transplanted rat BM-derived APC in the CNS of SCID C.B-17/scid (SCID) mice. This suggested that nonmyelin-specific T cells might be capable of increasing susceptibility to EAE by increasing the number and function of APC in the CNS before disease induction. To assess this possibility, we evaluated disease incidence, day of onset, duration, mean peak severity, cumulative disease index, and histopathology in the presence or absence of nonmyelin-specific T cells. The results demonstrate an association between T cell responses to nonmyelin Ags, accelerated development of BM-derived CNS APC before disease induction, and heightened susceptibility to CNS inflammation mediated by myelin-specific T cells. This suggests that T cell responses to nonmyelin Ags can potentiate CNS inflammation by elevating the functional presence of CNS APC.

Regulation of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by natural killer (NK) cells

In this report, we establish a regulatory role of natural killer (NK) cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a prototype T helper cell type 1 (Th1)-mediated disease. Active sensitization of C57BL/6 (B6) mice with the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)35-55 peptide induces a mild form of monophasic EAE. When mice were deprived of NK cells by antibody treatment before immunization, they developed a more serious form of EAE associated with relapse. Aggravation of EAE by NK cell deletion was also seen in beta 2-microglobulin-/- (beta 2m-/-) mice, indicating that NK cells can play a regulatory role in a manner independent of CD8+ T cells or NK1.1+ T cells (NK-T cells). The disease enhancement was associated with augmentation of T cell proliferation and production of Th1 cytokines in response to MOG35-55. EAE passively induced by the MOG35-55-specific T cell line was also enhanced by NK cell deletion in B6, beta 2m-/-, and recombination activation gene 2 (RAG-2)-/- mice, indicating that the regulation by NK cells can be independent of T, B, or NK-T cells. We further showed that NK cells inhibit T cell proliferation triggered by antigen or cytokine stimulation. Taken together, we conclude that NK cells are an important regulator for EAE in both induction and effector phases.

The controversy surrounding the pathogenesis of the multiple sclerosis lesion

The main issues in multiple sclerosis research revolve around four fundamental questions. (1) What initiates the disease-that is, autoimmune T cells, a virus, or a toxin? (2) Is the inflammatory response primary to the development of demyelination, or is it a secondary response to injury? (3) Is the oligodendrocyte, the myelin-producing cell, the primary target? (4) How can myelin repair be promoted? This review focuses on the controversies revolving around these important questions. Although many investigators believe that T-cell receptors on CD4+ cells interact with myelin antigens to initiate an inflammatory cascade that leads to myelin destruction, others maintain that a viral agent may have a direct or indirect role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. The concept that the immune system contributes to the tissue destruction in multiple sclerosis is generally accepted; however, the debate about cause versus consequence of the pathologic process remains unresolved, as does the identification of the initial event or focus of the damage. Electron microscopic studies have disclosed evidence of remyelination (albeit often incomplete) in lesions of multiple sclerosis. Enhanced understanding of the factors limiting remyelination could help formulate strategies to promote repair. By innovative experimental design and application of available molecular techniques, the answers to these questions may provide insights on how to prevent or treat multiple sclerosis.

Pathogenic and non-pathogenic T lymphocytes specific for the encephalitogenic epitope of myelin basic protein: functional characteristics and vaccination properties

Activated CD4+ T lymphocytes specific for myelin basic protein (MBP) can cause experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) upon their inoculation into syngeneic recipients. In Lewis rats, most of the pathogenic T cell clones that develop following immunization with MBP are reactive against the 72-84 amino acid sequence of MBP, the major encephalitogenic region for Lewis rats. In this study, some MBP-specific T cell clones were found to be non-pathogenic, in spite of their strong reactivity against the encephalitogenic epitope. One of these non-pathogenic clones, designated Znp, and an encephalitogenic clone, Z1a-p, were derived from Z1a encephalitogenic line cells. These subclones were compared for epitope specificity, T cell receptor variable gene expression and for various functional activities, in order to delineate properties crucial for pathogenicity. The Z1a-p and Znp cells expressed comparable levels of the T cell receptor genes and shared strong reactivity against the 72-84 epitope of MBP. The pathogenic Z1a-p cells displayed MBP-specific cytolytic activity in vitro, provided an in-vivo 'help' for elicitation of MBP-specific antibodies, mediated a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to MBP, caused EAE and vaccinated against the disease, thus demonstrating that a single CD4+ T cell clone is capable of eliciting various functions. The non-pathogenic Znp cells could also carry out most of these various functions, but failed to mediate a DTH response to MBP in normal animals. However, when inoculated into sublethally (650 R) irradiated syngeneic recipients, the Znp cells became highly pathogenic and mediated DTH response to MBP. Local irradiation of the recipient facilitated a DTH response to MBP in the irradiated ear, indicating that Znp cells are equipped with the effector mechanisms required for pathogenicity, and that their failure to cause disease may be accounted for by their inability to migrate into extravascular target tissue. Similar data were obtained with an independently isolated non-pathogenic clone, LB-3, specific for the encephalitogenic epitope of MBP. The ability of these non-pathogenic cells to vaccinate against EAE mediated by pathogenic cells raises the possibility that such non-pathogenic cells may play a role in triggering downregulation of pathogenic T cells.

T lymphocyte lines and clones selected against synthetic myelin basic protein 82-102 peptide from Japanese multiple sclerosis patients

As has been indicated in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the application of synthetic peptides for the selection of T cell lines may provide new insights into the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). We report here on T cell lines/clones generated from peripheral blood of MS patients against an immunodominant myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide 82-102. This study demonstrates that the selection of T cell lines against the MBP peptide is much more efficient than against whole MBP in generating a large panel of T cell lines/clones, and therefore provides a powerful strategy for studying autoimmune T cell repertoire in individual subjects. The peptide-selected lines and clones recognized MBP 82-102, shorter peptides MBP 89-101, 89-100 and guinea pig whole MBP mainly in the context of HLA-DR, but did not cross-recognize virus-derived peptides homologous to MBP 82-102. Seven out of ten clones were found to recognize MBP 82-102 in the absence of autologous antigen presenting cells (APC), and in three of the seven clones, specificity for MBP 82-102 could be demonstrated only in the absence of APC because of their strong reactivity against autologous APC. Two-color flow cytometry revealed that the clones were heterogeneous with regard to expression of CD4 and CD8 molecules. Overall, the clones selected by the peptide were rather heterogeneous in phenotype and function compared with those selected by whole MBP.

Interleukin-3 and encephalitogenic activity of SJL/J myelin basic protein-specific T cell lines

Myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific SJL/J T cells were cultured in normal growth medium or growth medium supplemented with 10% culture supernatant from WEHI-3 cells, a source of interleukin-3 (IL-3), or with recombinant IL-3. T cell lines cultured with IL-3 supplementation were more encephalitogenic compared to parallel lines cultured without this supplement. There was little difference in antigen-specific proliferative response or expression of cell surface markers CD3, CD4, CD8, IL-2R, or alpha/beta TCR in the parallel lines. Supernatant fluids from antigen-stimulated T cells from each cycle were tested for the presence of IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha/beta) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta). No significant difference in IL-2, IL-4, GM-CSF, TNF alpha/beta, or TGF beta levels were seen when supplemented and unsupplemented cultures were compared. Supernatant culture fluids contained an activity that was highly stimulatory for the IL-3-dependent mouse mast cell line, MC/9. This activity was attributable to a combination of at least three factors that varied in relative concentrations throughout the course of the experiments. Based on neutralization by monoclonal antibodies, MC/9 stimulating activity in early passage lines was attributable entirely to IL-3 and GM-CSF. The fraction of the MC/9 stimulatory activity that could be neutralized by monoclonal antibody to IL-3 decreased with increasing stimulation cycle while the fraction neutralized by anti-GM-CSF antibodies remained relatively constant. At the time that the lines lost encephalitogenicity, the activity neutralizable by anti-IL-3 had dropped to low levels in the culture supernatants; however, MC/9 stimulatory activity remained present in the supernatants. This was due to GM-CSF and a third unidentified factor.