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Procaccini C, De Rosa V, Pucino V, Formisano L, Matarese G. Animal models of Multiple Sclerosis. Eur J Pharmacol 2015; 759:182-91. [PMID: 25823807 PMCID: PMC7094661 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2015.03.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2015] [Revised: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) which involves a complex interaction between immune system and neural cells. Animal modeling has been critical for addressing MS pathogenesis. The three most characterized animal models of MS are (1) the experimental autoimmune/allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE); (2) the virally-induced chronic demyelinating disease, known as Theiler׳s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection and (3) the toxin-induced demyelination. All these models, in a complementary way, have allowed to reach a good knowledge of the pathogenesis of MS. Specifically, EAE is the model which better reflects the autoimmune pathogenesis of MS and is extremely useful to study potential experimental treatments. Furthermore, both TMEV and toxin-induced demyelination models are suitable for characterizing the role of the axonal injury/repair and the remyelination process in MS. In conclusion, animal models, despite their limitations, remain the most useful instrument for implementing the study of MS.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cardiovirus Infections/pathology
- Cardiovirus Infections/virology
- Disease Models, Animal
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/etiology
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/genetics
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/immunology
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/pathology
- Humans
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Multiple Sclerosis/etiology
- Multiple Sclerosis/genetics
- Multiple Sclerosis/immunology
- Multiple Sclerosis/pathology
- Theilovirus/pathogenicity
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Procaccini
- Laboratorio di Immunologia, Istituto di Endocrinologia e Oncologia Sperimentale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IEOS-CNR) c/o Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli "Federico II", 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Veronica De Rosa
- Laboratorio di Immunologia, Istituto di Endocrinologia e Oncologia Sperimentale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IEOS-CNR) c/o Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli "Federico II", 80131 Napoli, Italy; Unità di NeuroImmunologia, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00143 Roma, Italy
| | - Valentina Pucino
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Traslazionali, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Luigi Formisano
- Divisione di Farmacologia, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie, Università degli Studi del Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Matarese
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Salerno, Baronissi Campus, 84081 Baronissi, Salerno, Italy; IRCCS Multimedica, 20138 Milano, Italy.
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VCAM-1/α4β1 integrin interaction is crucial for prompt recruitment of immune T cells into the brain during the early stage of reactivation of chronic infection with Toxoplasma gondii to prevent toxoplasmic encephalitis. Infect Immun 2014; 82:2826-39. [PMID: 24752515 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01494-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Reactivation of chronic infection with Toxoplasma gondii can cause life-threatening toxoplasmic encephalitis in immunocompromised individuals. We examined the role of VCAM-1/α4β1 integrin interaction in T cell recruitment to prevent reactivation of the infection in the brain. SCID mice were infected and treated with sulfadiazine to establish a chronic infection. VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 were the endothelial adhesion molecules detected on cerebral vessels of the infected SCID and wild-type animals. Immune T cells from infected wild-type mice were treated with anti-α4 integrin or control antibodies and transferred into infected SCID or nude mice, and the animals received the same antibody every other day. Three days later, sulfadiazine was discontinued to initiate reactivation of infection. Expression of mRNAs for CD3δ, CD4, CD8β, gamma interferon (IFN-γ), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) (an effector molecule to inhibit T. gondii growth) and the numbers of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in the brain were significantly less in mice treated with anti-α4 integrin antibody than in those treated with control antibody at 3 days after sulfadiazine discontinuation. At 6 days after sulfadiazine discontinuation, cerebral tachyzoite-specific SAG1 mRNA levels and numbers of inflammatory foci associated with tachyzoites were markedly greater in anti-α4 integrin antibody-treated than in control antibody-treated animals, even though IFN-γ and NOS2 mRNA levels were higher in the former than in the latter. These results indicate that VCAM-1/α4β1 integrin interaction is crucial for prompt recruitment of immune T cells and induction of IFN-γ-mediated protective immune responses during the early stage of reactivation of chronic T. gondii infection to control tachyzoite growth.
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Navarrete-Talloni MJ, Kalkuhl A, Deschl U, Ulrich R, Kummerfeld M, Rohn K, Baumgärtner W, Beineke A. Transient peripheral immune response and central nervous system leaky compartmentalization in a viral model for multiple sclerosis. Brain Pathol 2010; 20:890-901. [PMID: 20331618 DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2010.00383.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Theiler's virus-induced demyelination represents an important animal model to study the chronic-progressive form of multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of the present study was to identify specific genes and pathways in the deep cervical lymph node (cLN) and spleen of experimentally infected SJL-mice, using DNA microarrays. Analyses identified 387 genes in the deep cLN and only 6 genes in the spleen of infected animals. The lymph node presented 27.4% of genes with fold changes +/-1.5 at 14 days post infection (dpi) and a reduced transcription at later time points. K-means clustering analyses resulted in five clusters. Accordingly, functional annotation revealed that the B-cell immune response pathway was the most up-regulated cluster at the early phase. Additionally, an increase of CD68- and lysozyme-positive cells in the deep cLN was observed by immunohistochemistry. Polioencephalitis was most intense at 14 dpi, and the spinal cord demyelinating leukomyelitis started at 42 dpi. In summary, early gene expression is indicative of virus-trigged immune responses in the central nervous system (CNS)-draining lymph node. The decreased gene transcription in the deep cLN during the chronic phase and the low number of spleen genes supports the hypothesis of a compartmentalized inflammation within the CNS, as described in progressive MS.
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Tsunoda I, Fujinami RS. Neuropathogenesis of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus infection, an animal model for multiple sclerosis. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2009; 5:355-69. [PMID: 19894121 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-009-9179-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2009] [Accepted: 10/04/2009] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection of mice is an experimental model for multiple sclerosis (MS). TMEV induces a biphasic disease in susceptible mouse strains. During the acute phase, 1 week after infection, TMEV causes polioencephalomyelitis characterized by infection and apoptosis of neurons in the gray matter of the brain. During the chronic phase, about 1 month after infection, virus infects glial cells and macrophages, and induces inflammatory demyelination with oligodendrocyte apoptosis and axonal degeneration in the white matter of the spinal cord. Although antibody, CD4(+), and CD8(+) T cell responses against TMEV capsid proteins play important roles in neuropathogenesis, infectious virus with persistence is necessary to induce demyelination; in general, adoptive transfer of antibody or T cells alone did not induce central nervous system (CNS) disease. The TMEV model can be useful for testing new therapeutic strategies specifically as a viral model for MS. Therapies targeting adhesion molecules, axonal degeneration, and immunosuppression can be beneficial for pure autoimmune CNS demyelinating diseases, such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, but could be detrimental in virus-induced demyelinating diseases, such as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikuo Tsunoda
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 North 1900 East, 3R330 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.
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Transgenic expression of the 3D polymerase inhibits Theiler's virus infection and demyelination. J Virol 2009; 83:12279-89. [PMID: 19759133 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00664-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 3D(pol) is required for the elongation of positive- and negative-stranded picornavirus RNA. During the course of investigating the effect of the transgenic expression of viral genes on the host immune response, we evaluated the viral load present in the host after infection. To our surprise, we found that 3D transgenic expression in genetically susceptible FVB mice led to substantially lower viral loads after infection with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV). As a result, spinal cord damage caused by chronic viral infection in the central nervous system was reduced in FVB mice that expressed 3D. This led to the preservation of large-diameter axons and motor function in these mice. The 3D transgene also lowered early viral loads when expressed in FVB-D(b) mice resistant to persistent TMEV infection. The protective effect of 3D transgenic expression was not altered in FVB-Rag(-/-).3D mice that are deficient in T and B cells, thus ruling out a mechanism by which the overexpression of 3D enhanced the adaptive immune clearance of the virus. Understanding how endogenously overexpressed 3D polymerase inhibits viral replication may lead to new strategies for targeting therapies to all picornaviruses.
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Mestre L, Docagne F, Correa F, Loría F, Hernangómez M, Borrell J, Guaza C. A cannabinoid agonist interferes with the progression of a chronic model of multiple sclerosis by downregulating adhesion molecules. Mol Cell Neurosci 2008; 40:258-66. [PMID: 19059482 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2008.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2008] [Revised: 10/27/2008] [Accepted: 10/31/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Adhesion molecules are critical players in the regulation of transmigration of blood leukocytes across the blood-brain barrier in multiple sclerosis (MS). Cannabinoids (CBs) are potential therapeutic agents in the treatment of MS, but the mechanisms involved are only partially known. Using a viral model of MS we observed that the cannabinoid agonist WIN55,212-2 administered at the time of virus infection suppresses intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in brain endothelium, together with a reduction in perivascular CD4+ T lymphocytes infiltrates and microglial responses. WIN55,212-2 also interferes with later progression of the disease by reducing symptomatology and neuroinflammation. In vitro data from brain endothelial cell cultures, provide the first evidence of a role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors gamma (PPARgamma) in WIN55,212-2-induced downregulation of VCAM-1. This study highlights that inhibition of brain adhesion molecules by WIN55,212-2 might underline its therapeutic effects in MS models by targeting PPAR-gamma receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Mestre
- Neuroimmunology Group, Functional and Systems Neurobiology Department, Cajal Institute (CSIC), Av. Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain
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Drescher KM, Tracy SM. Injection of the sciatic nerve with TMEV: a new model for peripheral nerve demyelination. Virology 2006; 359:233-42. [PMID: 17028060 PMCID: PMC1847644 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2006.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2006] [Accepted: 09/07/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Demyelination of the human peripheral nervous system (PNS) can be caused by diverse mechanisms including viral infection. Despite association of several viruses with the development of peripheral demyelination, animal models of the condition have been limited to disease that is either autoimmune or genetic in origin. We describe here a model of PNS demyelination based on direct injection of sciatic nerves of mice with the cardiovirus, Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV). Sciatic nerves of FVB mice develop inflammatory cell infiltration following TMEV injection. Schwann cells and macrophages are infected with TMEV. Viral replication is observed initially in the sciatic nerves and subsequently the spinal cord. Sciatic nerves are demyelinated by day 5 post-inoculation (p.i.). Injecting sciatic nerves of scid mice resulted in increased levels of virus recovered from the sciatic nerve and spinal cord relative to FVB mice. Demyelination also occurred in scid mice and by 12 days p.i., hindlimbs were paralyzed. This new model of virus-induced peripheral demyelination may be used to dissect processes involved in protection of the PNS from viral insult and to study the early phases of lesion development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M Drescher
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University School of Medicine, 2500 California Plaza, Criss II, Room 424, Omaha, NE 68178, USA.
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Piraino PS, Yednock TA, Messersmith EK, Pleiss MA, Freedman SB, Hammond RR, Karlik SJ. Spontaneous remyelination following prolonged inhibition of alpha4 integrin in chronic EAE. J Neuroimmunol 2005; 167:53-63. [PMID: 16095724 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2005.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2004] [Revised: 06/09/2005] [Accepted: 06/10/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Inhibition of alpha(4)beta(1) integrin blocks immune cell influx into the CNS providing benefit to patients with multiple sclerosis and in animal model systems. We have used this mechanism to examine whether the presence of inflammatory cells suppresses spontaneous myelin repair in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. We observed (1) 87% of plaques showed remyelination after 40 days of treatment; (2) myelin repair occurred in half of the total lesion area; (3) half of the animals regained motor function. There was no significant repair or gain of motor function in vehicle-treated animals. Therefore, prolonged inhibition of CNS inflammation, in the absence of targeted myelin repair, facilitates mechanisms of spontaneous remyelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- P S Piraino
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, Medical Sciences Building, Room 223, London, ON, Canada
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Ringheim GE, Conant K. Neurodegenerative disease and the neuroimmune axis (Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and viral infections). J Neuroimmunol 2004; 147:43-9. [PMID: 14741426 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2003.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The appearance of activated immune cells and the accumulation of inflammation-associated proteins are common phenomena associated with neurodegenerative diseases. These inflammatory components of central nervous system (CNS) diseases have most often been described in the context of an immune response to damage and cell loss already occurring in the affected brain area. There has, however, been a renewed interest in how the neuroimmune axis might itself be involved in the etiology of these neurodegenerative diseases, particularly in cases involving slow, chronic, progressive neuropathology. This review addresses immune activation in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and brain viral infections that may be causative of, rather than responsive to, the observed neuronal loss in these pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garth E Ringheim
- Immunology Platform, Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Route 202-206, Mail Stop G303A, Bridgewater, NJ 08807-0800, USA.
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