Generation of autonomously pathogenic neo-autoreactive TH1 cells during the development of the determinant spreading cascade in murine autoimmune encephalomyelitis
✍ Scribed by M. Yu; J.M. Johnson; V.K. Tuohy
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1996
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 928 KB
- Volume
- 45
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0360-4012
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✦ Synopsis
Chronic progression of autoimmune disease is accompanied by the acquisition of autoreactivity to new self-determinants. Recent evidence indicates that this process, commonly referred to as determinant spreading, may be pathogenic for chronicity. Our studies on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a murine model widely used in multiple sclerosis (MS) studies, have shown that determinant spreading develops as a predictable sequential cascade of neo-autoimmunity during progression to chronic disease. By 7-8 weeks after immunization of (SWRXSJL)F, mice with the immunodominant myelin proteolipid protein determinant (PLP 139-151), splenocytes consistently respond to the immunodominant myelin basic protein determinant (MBP 87-99).
In the present study, we directly address the pathogenicity of neo-autoimmunity resulting from endogenous self-priming during the course of disease. Our results indicate that T cells responding to the spreading MBP 87-99 determinant produce a proinflammatory cytokine profile consistent with type 1 helper T cells (Thl) cells. In addition, splenocytes activated to the spreading MBP 87-99 determinant consistently transfer acute EAE in naive recipients even when T cells reactive to the priming PLP 139-151 immunogen are eliminated by bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR)-mediated photolysis. Our data indicate that endogenous neo-autoantigen priming during chronic autoimmune disease generates type 1 helper T cells (Thl) cells that are autonomously pathogenic. These results provide further evidence supporting the view that determinant spreading is a pathogenic process that leads to chronic progression of autoimmune disease.