Encephalitogenic T Cells (encephalitogenic t + cell)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


IL-23-driven encephalo-tropism and Th17 polarization during CNS-inflammation in vivo

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 7 2009
Gabor Gyülvészi
Abstract IL-23 but not IL-12 is essential for the development of autoimmune tissue inflammation in mice. Conversely, IL-12 and IL-23 impact on the polarization of Th1 and Th17 cells, respectively. While both polarized T helper populations can mediate autoimmune inflammation, their redundancy in the pathogenesis of EAE indicates that IL-23 exerts its crucial influence on the disease independent of its T helper polarizing capacity. To study the impact of IL-23 and IL-12 on the behavior of encephalitogenic T cells in vivo, we generated BM-chimeric mice in which we can trace individual populations of IL-23 or IL-12 responsive T helper cells during EAE. We observed that T cells, which lack IL-12R,1 (no IL-12 and IL-23 signaling), fail to invade the CNS and do not acquire a Th17 phenotype. In contrast, loss of IL-12 signaling prevents Th1 polarization but does not prevent T-cell entry into the CNS. The loss of IL-12R engagement does not appear to alter T-cell expansion but leads to their accumulation in secondary lymphoid organs. We found that IL-23 licenses T cells to invade the target tissue and to exert their effector function, whereas IL-12 is critical for Th1 differentiation, but does not influence the pathogenic capacity of auto-reactive T helper cells in vivo. [source]


Enhanced hippocampal neurogenesis in the absence of microglia T cell interaction and microglia activation in the murine running wheel model

GLIA, Issue 10 2009
Marta Olah
Abstract Recently, activated microglia have been shown to be involved in the regulation of several aspects of neurogenesis under certain experimental conditions both in vitro and in vivo. A neurogenesis supportive microglia phenotype has been suggested to arise from the interaction of microglia with homing encephalitogenic T cells. However, a unified hypothesis regarding the exact nature of microglia activity that is supportive of neurogenesis is yet missing from the field. Our aim was to investigate the connection between microglia activity and adult hippocampal neurogenesis under physiological conditions. To address this question we compared the level of microglia activation in the hippocampus of mice, which had access to a running wheel for 10 days and that of sedentary controls. Suprisingly, despite elevated levels of proliferation of neural precursors and survival of newborn neurons in the dentate gyrus microglia remained in a "resting" state morphologically, antigenically, and at the transcriptional level. Moreover, neither T cells nor MHCII expressing microglia were present in the hippocampal brain parenchyma. Though microglia in the dentate gyrus of the runners proliferated at a higher level than in the sedentary controls, this difference was also present in non-neurogenic sites. Therefore, our findings suggest that classical signs of microglia activation and microglia activation arising from interaction with T cells in particular are not a prerequisite for the activity-induced increase in adult hippocampal neurogenesis in C57Bl/6 mice. Thus, our results draw attention on the species and model differences that might exist regarding the regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Neuronal FasL Induces Cell Death of Encephalitogenic T Lymphocytes

BRAIN PATHOLOGY, Issue 3 2000
A. Flügel
Apoptosis of inflammatory cells plays a crucial role in the recovery from autoimmune CNS disease. However, the underlying mechanisms of apoptosis induction are as yet ill-defined. Here we report on the neuronal expression of FasL and its potential function in inducing T-cell apoptosis. Using a combination of facial nerve axotomy and passive transfer encephalomyelitis, the fate of CD4+ encephalitogenic T cells engineered to express the gene for green fluorescent protein was followed. FasL gene transcripts and FasL protein were detected in neurons by in situ -hybridization and immunohistochemistry. T cells infiltrating preferentially the injured brain parenchyma were found in the immediate vicinity of FasL expressing neurons and even inside their perikarya. In contrast to neurons, T cells rapidly underwent apoptosis. In co-cultures of hippocampal nerve cells and CD4+ T lymphocytes, we confirmed expression of FasL in neurons and concomitant induction of T-cell death. Antibodies blocking neuronal FasL were shown to have a protective effect on T-cell survival. Thus, FasL expression by neurons in neuroinflammatory diseases may constitute a pivotal mechanism underlying apoptosis of encephalitogenic T cells. [source]