Autoantigen-pulsed dendritic cells induce tolerance to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Lewis rats

Dendritic cells (DC) can modulate the nature of immune responses in a stimulatory or tolerogenic fashion. Great attention has been given to the induction of immunity to tumour and infection. In this study, bone marrow-derived DC from healthy Lewis rats were pulsed in vitro with encephalitogenic myelin basic protein peptide 68-86 (MBP 68-86), and injected subcutaneously (1 x 106/rat) into normal Lewis rats. Upon observation of the rats pretreated in this way for 4 weeks, when no clinical signs of EAE occurred, these rats were immunized with MBP 68-86 and Freund's complete adjuvant. The pretreated rats failed to develop clinical EAE. This tolerance was associated with augmented proliferative responses, interferon-gamma secretion, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and NO production. The frequency of apoptotic cells was increased in the rats receiving MBP 68-86-pulsed DC compared with unpulsed control DC. Few infiltrating inflammatory cells were observed in spinal cord sections from rats that had received MBP 68-86-pulsed DC. The data are compatible with the interpretation that MBP 68-86-pulsed DC induce tolerance to EAE possibly through up-regulation of iNOS expression and NO production, which mediate cell apoptosis, thereby reducing infiltration of inflammatory cells within the central nervous system.     

Bone marrow-derived dendritic cells from experimental allergic encephalomyelitis induce immune tolerance to EAE in Lewis rats

We have previously shown that dendritic cells (DC), upon being pulsed in vitro with encephalitogenic myelin basic protein peptide 68–86 (MBP 68–86) and injected subcutaneously (s.c.) back to healthy Lewis rats, transfer immune tolerance to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced by immunization with MBP 68–86 and Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA). We here assumed that DC become pulsed in EAE rats, and that expansion in vitro of such ‘in vivo pulsed EAE‐DC’ might also have the capacity to induce immune tolerance to EAE, thereby eliminating the need for in vitro pulsing of DC with autoantigens which are still unknown in many autoimmune diseases in the human. In the present study, EAE‐DC were generated from bone marrow of Lewis rats, with EAE induced with MBP 68–86 + FCA, and expanded in vitro by culture with GM‐CSF and IL‐4. In comparison with DC from normal rats, EAE‐DC exhibited higher viability in the absence of growth factors, and presented specific antigen to naïve T cells in vitro. The DC derived from both EAE and healthy rats stimulated strong proliferation in an antigen‐independent manner, lasting for 4 weeks after DC were s.c. injected into healthy rats. During this time, injection of EAE‐DC did not induce clinical EAE. However, when these rats were immunized with MBP 68–86 + FCA, subsequent EAE was dramatically suppressed, and was associated with increased IFN‐γ expression, nitric oxide production, gradually reduced proliferation and cell apoptosis, compared with PBS‐injected control EAE rats. LPS‐treated DC did not induce tolerance, suggesting that the tolerance is mediated by an immature stage of DC. These observations support the hypothesis that EAE‐DC can transfer immune tolerance to EAE, thereby omitting the step of characterizing specific autoantigen. Omitting the step of loading DC with antigen not only eliminates the extremely complex procedure of defining pathogenically‐relevant autoantigens, but also avoids the risk of inducing immunogenicity of DC in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.     

Inhibition of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in Lewis rats by nasal administration of encephalitogenic MBP peptides: synergistic effects of MBP 68-86 and 87-99

Induction of mucosal tolerance by inhalation of soluble peptides with defined T cell epitopes is receiving much attention as a means of specifically down-regulating pathogenic T cell reactivities in autoimmune and allergic disorders. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced in the Lewis rat by immunization with myelin basic protein (MBP) and Freund's adjuvant (CFA) is mediated by CD4+ T cells specific for the MBP amino acid sequences 68-86 and 87-99. To further define the principles of nasal tolerance induction, we generated three different MBP peptides (MBP 68-86, 87-99 and the non- encephalitogenic peptide 110-128), and evaluated whether their nasal administration on day -11, -10, -9, -8 and -7 prior to immunization with guinea pig MBP (gp-MBP) + CFA confers protection to Lewis rat EAE. Protection was achieved with the encephalitogenic peptides MBP 68-86 and 87-99, MBP 68-86 being more potent, but not with MBP 110-128. Neither MBP 68-86 nor 87-99 at doses used conferred complete protection to gp-MBP-induced EAE. In contrast, nasal administration of a mixture of MBP 68-86 and 87-99 completely blocked gp-MBP-induced EAE even at lower dosage compared to that being used for individual peptides. Rats tolerized with MBP 68-86 + 87-99 nasally showed decreased T cell responses to MBP reflected by lymphocyte proliferation and IFN-gamma ELISPOT assays. Rats tolerized with MBP 68-86 + 87-99 also had abrogated MBP-reactive IFN-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha mRNA expression in lymph node cells compared to rats receiving MBP 110-128 nasally, while similar low levels of MBP-reactive transforming growth factor-beta and IL-4 mRNA expressing cells were observed in the two groups. Nasal administration of MBP 68-86 + 87-99 only slightly inhibited guinea pig spinal cord homogenate-induced EAE, and passive transfer of spleen mononuclear cells from MBP 68-86 + 87-99-tolerized rats did not protect naive rats from EAE. Finally, we show that nasal administration of MBP 68-86 + 87-99 can reverse ongoing EAE induced with gp-MBP, although higher doses are required compared to the dosage needed for prevention. In conclusion, nasal administration of encephalitogenic MBP peptides can induce antigen-specific T cell tolerance and confer incomplete protection to gp-MBP-induced EAE, and MBP 68-86 and 87-99 have synergistic effects. Non-regulatory mechanisms are proposed to be responsible for tolerance development after nasal peptide administration.      

经鼻黏膜给予MBP68-86和87-99协同免疫预防Lewis大鼠EAE的实验研究

目的探讨鼻黏膜给予MBP68-86和87-99协同免疫预防Lewis大鼠实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎(EAE)的作用。方法合成3条不同的碱性髓鞘蛋白(MBP)多肽(MBP68-86、87-99和非致脑炎性肽段110-128),在用豚鼠MBP(gp-MBP)加弗氏完全佐剂免疫Lewis大鼠前的11、10、9、8和7d,经鼻黏膜分别给予MBP多肽,观察其对EAE的保护作用。结果致脑炎性肽段MBP68-86和87-99都有保护作用,其中MBP68-86的保护作用更强;而MBP110-128没有保护作用。鼻黏膜给予MBP68-86 87-99的混合物,在相对低的剂量可完全阻断gp-MBP引发的EAE。淋巴细胞增殖实验和IFN-γELISPOT检测显示,与鼻黏膜给予大鼠MBP110-128组相比,鼻黏膜给予大鼠MBP68-86 87-99可降低T细胞对于MBP的反应性,淋巴结单核细胞中表达IFN-γ和TNF-αmRNA的细胞数减少,而两组表达TGF-β及IL-4mRNA的淋巴细胞数都低。结论鼻黏膜给予致脑炎性MBP多肽能够导致抗原特异性T细胞耐受,对gp-MBP引发的EAE提供不完全的保护,MBP68-86和MBP87-99具有协同作用。鼻黏膜给予多肽引发的免疫耐受与非调节机制有关。     

Dendritic cell-derived nitric oxide is involved in IL-4-induced suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Lewis rats.

Cytokines play a crucial role in initiating and perpetuating EAE, an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). A low dose of IL-4, administered by the nasal route over 5 days (100 ng/rat per day) prior to immunization, improved clinical scores of EAE induced in Lewis rats with myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide 68-86 (MBP 68-86). We examined whether dendritic cells (DC) may have contributed to the amelioration of the disease process. These professional antigen-presenting cells (APC) not only activate T cells, but also tolerize T cells to antigens, thereby minimizing autoimmune reactions. We found that IL-4 administration enhanced proliferation of DC. In comparison with DC of PBS-treated rats, DC from IL-4-treated rats secreted high levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-10. Nitric oxide (NO) production by DC was also strongly augmented in IL-4-treated rats. In vitro studies showed that IL-4 stimulated DC expansion and that IFN-gamma enhanced NO production by DC. DC-derived NO promoted apoptosis of autoreactive T cells. These results indicate that nasal administration of IL-4 promotes activation of DC and induces production of IFN-gamma and IL-10 by DC. IL-10 suppresses antigen presentation by DC, while IFN-gamma induces NO production by DC which leads to apoptosis in autoreactive T cells. Such a DC-derived negative feedback loop might contribute to the clinical improvement observed in EAE.     

Combined nasal administration of encephalitogenic myelin basic protein peptide 68-86 and IL-10 suppressed incipient experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in Lewis rats

Mucosal administration of low doses of myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide 68-86 (MBP 68-86) or anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 effectively prevented experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), but failed to suppress the disease if given after 7 days postimmunization (p.i.), i.e., after T cell priming had occurred. We anticipated that combined administration of autoantigen and IL-10 can treat incipient EAE. Lewis rats with EAE actively induced with MBP 68-86 and complete Freund's adjuvant received 120 microg MBP 68-86 + 200 ng IL-10 per rat per day from day 7 p.i. and for 5 consecutive days. These rats showed later onset, lower clinical scores, less body weight loss, and shorter duration of EAE than rats receiving MBP 68-86 or IL-10 only or PBS. EAE amelioration was associated with decreased infiltration of ED1(+) macrophages and CD4(+) T cells within the central nervous system and with decreased proliferative responses of lymph node cells, indicating that combined administration of MBP 68-86 and IL-10 induced immune hyporesponsiveness. IFN-gamma secretion as well as IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-4, and IL-10 mRNA expression by lymph node MNC was down-regulated in the treated rats. Immune hyporesponsiveness, rather than immune deviation or regulatory mechanisms, seems to be responsible for the protection of EAE after autoantigen + IL-10 administration by the nasal route.     

IL-17 Eliminates the Therapeutic Effects of Myelin Basic Protein-Induced Nasal Tolerance in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis by Activating IL-6

Interleukin (IL)-17 is a proinflammatory cytokine primarily secreted by Th17 cells, which are a CD4⁺ T-cell subset. Th17 cells and IL-17 are important in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis and in its established animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). However, it is unclear whether IL-17 contributes to EAE immune tolerance. We used the myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide MBP 68–86 to induce nasal tolerance to EAE, and simultaneously interfered with the tolerance by treatment with different doses of IL-17. We found that IL-17 dramatically interfered with MBP 68–86-induced immune tolerance. IL-17 administration increased IL-6 release, skewing T cell differentiation towards Th17 cells and decreasing the number of Treg cells. This led to an imbalance between Treg cells and Th17 cells and spurred the development of EAE.     

Suppression of ongoing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Lewis rats: synergistic effects of myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide 68-86 and IL-4

Mucosal myelin autoantigen administration effectively prevented EAE, but mostly failed to treat ongoing EAE. Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), for which EAE is considered an animal model, did not benefit from oral treatment with bovine myelin. We anticipated that autoantigen, administered together with a cytokine that counteracts Th1 cell responses, might ameliorate Th1-driven autoimmune disease, and that nasal administration might considerably reduce the amounts of antigen + cytokine needed for treatment purposes. Lewis rats with EAE actively induced with myelin basic protein peptide (MBP 68-86) and Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA), received from day 7 post-immunization, i.e. after T cell priming had occurred, 120 microg MBP 68-86 + 100 ng IL-4 per rat per day for 5 consecutive days. These rats showed later onset, lower clinical scores, less body weight loss and shorter EAE duration compared with rats receiving MBP 68-86 or IL-4 only, or PBS. EAE amelioration was associated with decreased infiltration of ED1+ macrophages and CD4+ T cells within the central nervous system, and with decreased interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and enhanced IL-4, IL-10 and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) responses by lymph node cells. Simultaneous administration of encephalitogenic peptide + IL-4 by the nasal route thus suppressed ongoing EAE and induced IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-beta-related regulatory elements.     

Acquired thymic tolerance to autoimmune encephalomyelitis is associated with activation of peripheral IL-10-producing macrophages/dendritic cells

Antigen injection into the thymus of adult animals induces systemic tolerance and protects animals from subsequent challenge for the autoimmune disease. However, its mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we analyzed tolerance to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced in Lewis rats by intrathymic (i.t.) injection of myelin basic protein (MBP). Intrathymic injection of MBP 7 days before immunization with MBP/complete Freund's adjuvant resulted in complete suppression of clinical signs of EAE in most animals and markedly reduced the histological severity in the central nervous system lesion. However, immunohistochemical examination and the TCR repertoire analysis revealed that there was no significant difference in the T cell composition in the lesion and the TCR spectratype pattern between MBP and saline i.t. rats, suggesting that encephalitogenic T cell activation occurs equally in both protected and symptomatic rats. In contrast, quantitative analysis of cytokine mRNA and flow cytometry revealed a marked increase of IL-10 production in the splenic macrophages/dendritic cell (M?/DC) population of MBP i.t. rats. Adoptive transfer of this population significantly suppressed the clinical course of EAE in recipients. Taken together, IL-10-secreting M?/DC in peripheral lymphoid organs activated by MBP i.t. injection may play a critical role in the induction and maintenance of tolerance.     

Tolerance induction by acylated peptides: effect on encephalitogenic T cell lines

We reported previously that acylation of an encephalitogenic peptide of myelin basic protein (MBP68-86) by attachment of palmitoyl chloride (PAL68-86) converted this peptide into a powerful tolerogen for EAE in the Lewis rat. In this study we show that T cell lines derived from a PAL68-86-protected rat proliferated poorly to MBP68-86 in vitro, even after repeated passages in this peptide and IL-2. Conversely, T cell lines derived from untreated rats that were challenged with MBP68-86 or PAL68-86 in CFA responded vigorously to MBP68-86 when propagated for many passages in this peptide but became gradually unresponsive after being propagated in the presence of PAL68-86. The modulation of the T cell lines by PAL68-86 in vitro was reflected by a significant reduction in their ability to transfer EAE to recipients. A high percentage of cells stained with an anti-Vbeta8.2 antibody, regardless of whether they were propagated in the presence of unmodified or acylated peptide. The results are consistent with the notion that tolerance induced by PAL68-86 operates by functional inactivation and provide the basis for the use of acylated peptides in the antigen-specific treatment of autoimmune diseases.     

骨髓间充质干细胞对致脑脊髓炎性MBP68-86特异性T淋巴细胞的调节作用

目的 探讨骨髓间充质干细胞(MSCs)对致脑脊髓炎性MBP68-86-特异性T淋巴细胞的抑制和激活作用.方法 全骨髓贴壁法提取、培养Lewis大鼠股骨、胫骨内的MSCs;建立实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎(EAE)动物模型,对照组大鼠仅免疫完全弗氏佐剂(CFA);EAE大鼠免疫10～11 d后,MBP68-86特异性T淋巴细胞被取出进行体外T淋巴细胞增值试验.从Lewis大鼠中得到的间质干细胞分别按下列要求预培养:在24孔板中与T细胞比值:1:1(1×106骨髓基质细胞/T细胞1×106)1:5、1:10、1:50或1:100;ELISA方法检测淋巴细胞培养上清液.结果 同种同基因的MSCs以MSCs与效应T细胞比例为1:1、1:5、1:10时共培养能够显著抑制MBP68-86特异性T淋巴细胞的增殖能力,与没有加入MSCs的单独MBP68-86特异性T淋巴细胞组相比差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.01).结论 MSCs在高密度(MSCs/T细胞数比≥1:10)的情况下,对MBP68-86-特异性T细胞表现为抑制作用;在较低的密度(≤1:50)时,表现为刺激的作用.     

Systematic evaluation of the conditions required for the generation of immature rat bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and their phenotypic and functional characterization

This study systematically evaluated the conditions required for generating immature rat bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) and characterized their phenotype. The culture of Wistar rat bone marrow cells for 7 days in an optimal cytokine environment (granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), 10 ng/ml; IL-4, 5 ng/ml) resulted in adherent and non-adherent cell populations, but only the adherent population predominantly expressed the rat DC marker OX62. Adherent OX62+ cells were immature, in that they expressed lower levels of CD86 and MHC class II and were more phagocytic than their non-adherent OX62+ counterparts. Adherent BMDCs constitutively produced low levels of IL-12 and nitric oxide (NO), levels of both of which were markedly increased following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activation. Activation also increased the proportion of OX62+ cells expressing CD40, CD54 and CD86 and their intensity of expression, however, unlike murine BMDCs, it had no effect on CD80 and MHC class II expression. Although the proliferation of allogeneic Lewis splenocytes in response to immature resting and LPS-activated (mature) Wistar BMDCs was of a similar magnitude, levels of IL-12 after 5 days were significantly higher in cultures containing LPS-activated BMDCs and the IFN-gamma/IL-4 cytokine ratio differed markedly (2.35 vs. 6.66, respectively). This study systematically defines conditions for generating immature rat BMDC populations and demonstrates qualitative differences in the phenotype of immune responses induced by resting and LPS-activated BMDC populations.     

Essential role of TGF-beta in the natural resistance to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in rats

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease induced in susceptible rat strains by a single immunization with myelin basic protein (MBP). The Lewis (LEW) strain is susceptible to disease induction while the Brown Norway (BN) strain is resistant. This resistance involves non-MHC genes since congenic BN-1L rats, with LEW MHC on a BN-derived background, are also resistant. In the present study we show that, upon immunization with MBP, the non-MHC-encoded resistance to develop clinical EAE in BN-1L rats is associated with a decreased production of IFN-gamma. This may be due to a difference between LEW and BN-1L rats in their ability to produce regulatory cytokines such as IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-beta. In comparison to LEW rats, immune lymph node cells from BN-1L rats express an increased amount of IL-4 mRNA but produce less IL-10. Furthermore, the sera from BN-1L rats contain higher amounts of active TGF-beta1. Therefore, we have investigated the involvement of IL-4 and TGF-beta in the resistance of BN-1L rats to develop EAE using neutralizing mAb. Neutralization of TGF-beta, but not IL-4, renders BN-1L rats susceptible to clinical EAE without affecting the proliferation or the cytokine repertoire of immune lymph node cells. With respect to the origin of the endogenous TGF-beta production, we excluded the involvement of CD8 T cells and discuss a possible role of platelets and of CD4 T cells exhibiting the CD45RC(low) phenotype.     

Deaggregated homologous immunoglobulin-peptide conjugates induce peptide-specific T cell nonresponsiveness in vivo

Previous studies have proven the efficacy of intravenous injection of deaggregated protein as a means of inducing tolerance. In the present study, the immunodominant peptide 70 – 86 of myelin basic protein (MBP) was covalently linked to either mouse Ig or Lewis rat IgG. Lewis rats immunized with MBP in complete Freund's adjuvant were completely protected from development of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) by their injection with as little as 40 μg of peptide conjugate on days 0 and 10 after immunization. Peptide-specific proliferative and cytokine responses by T cells from treated rats in vitro were severely depressed compared with controls, while responses to whole MBP were unaffected. Significantly, injections of 100 μg of peptide conjugate on days 0 and 4 after adoptive transfer of peptide-specific T lines protected rats from passive EAE while a single injection of 100 μg of conjugate at the onset of active EAE prevented any further disease progression. Both results suggest that primed effector cells as well as naive T cells are prone to tolerance induction by this means. The ability to intervene in ongoing immune responses with such specificity may be useful therapeutically in control of autoimmunity or allergic responses to environmental antigens.     

Induction of oral tolerization in CD86 deficient mice: a role for CD86 and B cells in the up-regulation of TGF-beta

Feeding myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) followed by immunization results in induction of oral tolerance evidenced by the amelioration of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Oral tolerization is characterized by the suppression of Th1 responses and up-regulation of Th2 responses and TGF-beta. To identify the costimulatory molecules and cell types involved in cytokine-mediated suppression we examined wild type mice and mice deficient for either CD86 (CD86-/-) or B cells (muMT). Oral tolerance was found in CD86-/- mice evidenced by amelioration of disease severity, decreased proliferative responses and IFN-gamma production and increased IL-4. TGF-beta was not up-regulated in CD86-/- or muMT mice but was increased in wild type mice. Analysis of the gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) of different mouse strains (C57BL/6 and PLJxSJL F1) fed distinct myelin antigens (MOG and myelin basic protein, MBP) showed that TGF-beta was increased in wild type mice of both strains by 3 days post-immunization and further increased with time. In contrast, no up-regulation of TGF-beta was found in the GALT of CD86-/- or muMT mice. These results demonstrate that CD86 is not required for oral tolerization and that both CD86 and B cells are important for the up-regulation of TGF-beta following oral antigen.     

Normal immunoglobulin G protects against experimental allergic encephalomyelitis by inducing transferable T cell unresponsiveness to myelin basic protein

Normal human IgG for intravenous use (IVIg), administered intraperitoneally, protected Lewis rats against experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced by immunization with myelin basic protein (MBP). We demonstrate that protection was associated with an acquired unresponsiveness of lymphocytes to MBP and a decreased ability of the cells to produce IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α and, to a lesser degree, IL- 4 and IL-10, in the presence of the antigen. Lymph node (LN) cells of protected rats failed to passively transfer EAE to naive syngeneic animals. Our observations indicate that, rather than inducing selective immune deviation, IVIg induces preferential MBP unresponsiveness of Th1 cells. Whereas LN and splenic cells of IVIg-treated rats did not proliferate nor secrete IL-2 in the presence of the antigen, proliferation was restored by adding exogeneous recombinant IL-2. In contrast, LN cells of IVIg-treated rats proliferated normally and produced IL-2 in the presence of concanavalin A, indicating the selectivity for MBP of the anergy induced by IVIg when given at the time of immunization with the antigen. Treatment with IVIg also allowed a resistance to the secondary induction of EAE, indicating that IVIg protects from EAE but does not interfere with the processes that eventually lead to resistance to re-challenge. These data document the immunomodulatory effects of IVIg in T cell-dependent experimental autoimmune disease and further suggest a role for normal Ig in the selection of functional T cell repertoires.     

CD8alpha dendritic cells and immune protection from experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

Dendritic cells (DC) represent a phenotypically heterogeneous population endowed with two important biological functions, immunity and tolerance. Here we report that the injection of splenic CD8alpha(+) DC, derived from rats with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), delayed the onset and suppressed the severity of EAE in Lewis rats. This was accompanied by the lack of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions in the brain and spinal cord and by reduced numbers of inflammatory cells within the central nervous system. Injection of CD8(alpha+) DC inhibited T cell proliferation that may relate to increased interferon (IFN)-gamma and nitric oxide production. Although CD8(+)CD28(-) suppressor T cells, apoptotic cells and co-stimulatory molecules were not altered, CD4(+) T cells expressing interleukin (IL)-10 were augmented in rats receiving CD8alpha(+) DC compared to rats receiving total DC or medium. These results demonstrate that rat splenic CD8alpha(+) DC could provide a cellular basis for a novel, individualized immunotherapy using autologous DC as a complement to conventional therapy in diseases with an autoimmune background such as multiple sclerosis.     

Anergy induction in encephalitogenic T cells by brain microvessel endothelial cells is inhibited by interleukin-1

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) which can be induced, in susceptible strains like Lewis rats, by transfer of activated myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific CD4⁺ T lymphocytes. The role of cerebral endothelium in the onset of EAE, with regard to adhesion, activation and infiltration in the CNS of encephalitogenic T lymphocytes, is not fully understood. When pretreated by interferon-γ, the immortalized Lewis rat brain microvessel endothelial (RBE4) cells expressed major histocompatibility complex class II molecules and stimulated MBP-specific proliferation and cytolytic activity of the syngeneic encephalitogenic T cell line, designated PAS. However, RBE4-stimulated PAS lymphocytes subsequently entered an unresponsive state, known as anergy. When inoculated in syngeneic animals, anergic PAS cells, although still cytotoxic, failed to induce EAE, and no cell infiltration was detectable within CNS. The addition of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) during MBP presentation by RBE4 cells prevented T cell anergy induction, and maintained T cell encephalitogenicity, although PAS cells stimulated in these conditions caused delayed and attenuated clinical signs of EAE, with only discrete inflammatory lesions in the CNS, compared with EAE induced by PAS cells fully activated by thymic cells. Altogether, our results indicate that MBP presentation by brain microvessel endothelial cells to encephalitogenic T cells induces T cell anergy and loss of pathogenicity. In addition, IL-1β co-stimulation of T cells prevents anergy induction in vitro and at least partially maintains encephalitogenicity in vivo.     

Limitation of nitric oxide production: cells from lymph node and spleen exhibit distinct difference in nitric oxide production

Many types of cells in the immune system have been found to produce nitric oxide (NO), which performs multiplex functions. However, in myelin basic protein peptide 68-86 (MBP 68-86)-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Lewis rats, we found that elevated NO production was generated from spleen cells (SC), not from lymph node cells (LNC). LNC expressed lower NO synthase 2 (NOS2) and produced lower levels of NO than SC upon MBP 68-86 stimulation. Expression of B7-1(CD80) and B7-2(CD86) molecules was much lower on LNC than on SC. Blocking of B7-1 or B7-2 ligation resulted in reduced NO production by SC. Unlike SC, LNC were resistant to interferon-gamma- or lipopolysaccharide-induced NO production. NO derived from SC suppressed cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in vitro. Addition of N(omega)-nitrol-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME) into cell cultures promoted cell expansion and reduced apoptosis. These results indicate that NO production originates from SC, but not from LNC. Low expression of co-stimulatory molecules and NOS2 of LNC limits NO induction. The high levels of NO derived from SC are involved in the self-limiting mechanisms of autoimmune responses by inhibiting cell expansion and promoting cell apoptosis.     

The role of serum factors in the suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis: evidence for immunoregulation by antibody to the encephalitogenic peptide.

Lewis rats immunized with myelin basic protein (MBP) in Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) suffer from a single episode of paralysis from which they recover spontaneously. Subsequent to recovery, further episodes of paralysis cannot normally be induced by reimmunization with MBP in FCA. It is well established that serum, obtained from rats in the refractory state, can suppress the induction of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) when given to animals from the time of immunization with MBP in FCA. Here it is shown that treatment with some such sera from Day 7 after immunization also suppressed the disease. However, not all convalescent sera were suppressive, indicating that rats immunized with MBP in FCA could become refractory to EAE without assayable levels of suppressive activity in their sera. In the context of this result it was notable that a correlation was found between the level of antibody specific for the encephalitogenic peptide in sera and the ability to suppress EAE. An inverse relationship was also shown between the amount of anti-encephalitogenic peptide antibody produced after immunization and the severity of EAE induced. Spleen cells from animals treated with Lewis anti-MBP serum after immunization with MBP in FCA could be activated to transfer EAE by in vitro culture with MBP despite the absence of any clinical signs in the donor animals, i.e. the serum inhibited the expansion or differentiation of these cells rather than preventing their priming or bringing about clonal deletion.