Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0004364 (autoimmune disease)
 24,845 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

To investigate the possibility that non-alpha beta T cell-dependent mechanisms can induce systemic autoimmune disease, and to address the roles of alpha beta T cells in murine lupus, we analyzed lupus-prone MRL mice congenitally deficient in alpha beta T cells. Surprisingly, TCR-alpha-/- MRL mice developed several characteristics of human systemic lupus erythematosus, including hypergammaglobulinemia, autoantibodies against DNA and small nuclear ribonucleoproteins, and immune deposits in kidneys. These results, which contrast with past studies concluding that MRL autoimmunity requires CD4+ alpha beta T cells, demonstrate that non-alpha beta T cell-dependent mechanisms are capable of inducing lupus phenomena, and further suggest that MRL disease may consist of both alpha beta T cell-independent and alpha beta T cell-dependent mechanisms.
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PMID:Murine lupus in the absence of alpha beta T cells. 862 47

Intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) exhibits a number of immunomodulatory properties that are mediated by the Fe portion of IgG and by the spectrum of variable (V) regions contained in the immune globulin preparations. Five predominant and non-exclusive mechanisms of action have been proposed to account for the immunomodulatory effects of IVIG in immune-mediated diseases: (i) functional blockade of Fc receptors on splenic macrophages; (ii) inhibition of complement-mediated damage, an effect that is dependent on the ability of IgG to bind C3b and C4b and thus reduce the number of activated complement fragments that may deposit on target surfaces of complement activation; (iii) modulation of the production of cytokines and cytokine antagonists; (iv) neutralization of circulating autoantibodies by complementary (e.g. anti-idiotypic) antibodies in IVIG, a mechanism that accounts for the rapid decrease in titre of circulating autoantibodies that is often observed within hours following the infusion of IVIG; (v) selection of immune repertoires, a complex set of effects that may be observed in individuals receiving IVIG far beyond the half-life of the infused immunoglobulin and that is directly relevant to the ability of IVIG to, for example, suppress autoantibody-producing clones in patients with antibody-mediated autoimmune disease and modulate graft versus host disease (GVHD). IVIG has been shown to downregulate or activate B-cell clones expressing surface IgG that is complementary (anti-idiotypic) to V regions of antibodies present in IVIG. IVIG has been shown also to interact with surface molecules of T cells that are essential to immune regulation, such as the alpha beta TCR, CD5, CD4, non-polymorphic determinants of MHC class I molecules and adhesion molecules of T and B cells. The complex interactions of IVIG with functional molecules of cells of the immune system are relevant to its therapeutic effects in T cell- as well as B cell-mediated diseases and indeed, to our understanding of the physiological role of normal IgG and antibody networks in controlling autoreactivity in healthy individuals.
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PMID:Mechanisms of action of intravenous immune globulin in immune-mediated diseases. 862 40

Many autoimmune diseases are associated with specific class II MHC alleles; however, this association is not complete. One explanation for the variable expression of disease in susceptible individuals is that variability in the TCR repertoire may alter the potential to generate pathogenic autoreactive T cells. The current study was undertaken to examine the possibility that MHC and background heterozygosity, which is the norm in the outbred human population, alters the expressed TCR repertoire and, if so, whether this has an impact on peptide recognition and antigenic specificity. We, therefore, systematically analysed the beef insulin-specific TCR repertoire in inbred BALB/c mice before and after introduction of MHC heterozygosity (BALB/c x BALB.K)F1 mice, or MHC and background gene heterozygosity (BALB/c x A/J)F1 mice. We show that T cells from all three repertoires are predominantly Ad-restricted and recognize the same immunodominant peptide. Despite this, the beef insulin-specific TCR repertoires in F1 mice differ from those seen in BALB/c mice with the most dramatic changes seen in (BALB/c x A/J)F1 mice. These changes are accompanied by subtle differences in the antigenic specificity of the T cells. The results demonstrate that both MHC and background gene heterozygosity affect TCR repertoire selection, suggesting that the variable expression of autoimmune disease in individuals with a susceptible MHC allele may result, in part, from variability in the TCR repertoire introduced by this heterozygosity.
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PMID:Both MHC and background gene heterozygosity alter T cell receptor repertoire selection in an antigen-specific response. 864 5

MRL-lpr/lpr mice develop a distinctive immunologic disease characterized by accumulation of unusually large numbers of T cells in the peripheral lymphoid organs. Most of the accumulating T cells express an alpha beta-TCR but are peculiar in that they express neither CD4 nor CD8 co-ligands. Concurrent with lymphoaccumulation of such double negative (DN) T cells, MRL-lpr/lpr mice develop a lethal systemic lupus erythematosus-like autoimmune syndrome. This study focuses on the role of MHC class I molecules in this latter pathologic process. Highly backcrossed class I molecule-deficient MRL and MRL-lpr mice carrying a functionally defective allele of the gene beta 2-microglobulin (B2m) were produced. Class I deficient MRL-lpr/lpr mice demonstrated a substantial reduction in DN T cells, confirming other reports indicating that most DN T cells arise from progenitors positively selected on MHC class I molecules. Significantly, class I-deficient MRL-lpr/lpr mice also demonstrated a diminution of every autoimmune disease indicator analyzed including hypergammaglobulinemia; autoantibodies including anti-DNA, anti-Smith antigen, and rheumatoid factor; and glomerulonephritis. The results indicate that class I-dependent T cells are crucial not only for the development of DN T cells, but for multiple features of the MRL-lpr/lpr systemic lupus erythematosus syndrome. Moreover, the pattern of hypergammaglobulinemia suggests that the requirement for MHC class I proteins is restricted temporally to later stages of the disease.
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PMID:beta2-microglobulin dependence of the lupus-like autoimmune syndrome of MRL-lpr mice. 864 44

Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) is an experimental autoimmune disease induced by immunization with collagen type II (CII). We studied CIA in CD4- or CD8-deficient DBA/1 mice to further define the roles of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the disease. CD4-deficient mice developed severe arthritis, and no differences in incidence, clinical course, and severity were observed between CD4 -/- and CD4 +/- mice. Proliferative responses of lymph node T cells to CII was, however, reduced in CD4 -/- mice, and inflamed joints revealed relative accumulation of CD4-CD8-TCR(alpha)(beta)+ cells. A CII-specific T cell line generated from CD4-deficient mice responded to CII in a MHC-restricted fashion and had a CD4-CD8-TCR(alpha)(beta)+ phenotype. Disease incidence in CD8 -/- mice was significantly decreased compared with CD8 +/- mice, even though the severity of arthritis in arthritic mice was not different. These results suggests a role for CD8+ T cells in initiating CIA. Interestingly, CD8-deficient mice were more susceptible to a second induction of arthritis after remission of initial disease, pointing towards an immunoregulatory role for CD8+ T cells. CD8-deficient mice did not, however, show any defect in oral tolerance induction using CII. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that CD4-CD8-TCR(alpha)(beta) cells can trigger systemic arthritis in CD4-deficient mice and that CD8+ T cells can play dual and opposing roles, important both in initiation of CIA and in providing resistance to reinduction of CIA after recovery from initial disease.
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PMID:Collagen-induced arthritis in CD4- or CD8-deficient mice: CD8+ T cells play a role in initiation and regulate recovery phase of collagen-induced arthritis. 866 29

A potential immunoregulatory function has recently been attributed to the discrete subset of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted TCR-alpha beta mature thymocytes expressing an unusual V beta 8-biased T cell receptor repertoire. This T cell subset which also selectively express the CD44 marker is the main IL-4 producer in the thymus. Nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice were found to have a marked deficit in the number and functional capacity of CD44+ TCR-alpha beta+ thymocytes from as early as 3 weeks of age. The deficiency in IL-4 production was completely corrected after incubation with interleukin-7 (IL-7), a selective growth factor for CD44+ TCR-alpha beta+ mature thymocytes. This abnormality in T cell differentiation could explain the Th2 functional deficiency that may be a key element in the emergence of Th1-driven autoimmune disease in NOD mice.
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PMID:Early defect of immunoregulatory T cells in autoimmune diabetes. 868 Sep 58

We have used fas-defective MRL-lpr/lpr mice to study the effects of the staphylococcal enterotoxin superantigens on the development of autoimmune, inflammatory joint disease in animals that are susceptible to the development of rheumatoid arthritis-like disease. We show that systematic administration by a single i.p. injection of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB; 10 micrograms/mouse) caused a mild, inflammatory arthritis +30 days postchallenge in the knee joints of young (< 2-mo-old) MRL-lpr/lpr mice, but not aged-matched MRL +/+ mice. In aged (> 8-mo-old) MRL-lpr/lpr mice, but not in aged MRL +/+ mice, SEB caused a severe, inflammatory arthritis, as assessed histologically, and systemic autoimmune disease, including glomerulonephritis and autoantibody production. Furthermore, in aged MRL-lpr/lpr mice, SEB but not heat-denatured SEB caused acute weight loss and elevated levels of serum proinflammatory cytokines. Compared with highly purified peritoneal macrophages obtained from either aged MRL +/+, young MRL-lpr/lpr, or young MRL +/+, peritoneal macrophages obtained from aged MRL-lpr/lpr mice constitutively expressed 2- to 10-fold greater levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and IL-10, and produced elevated amounts of these cytokines when treated in vitro with SEB. SEB-challenged aged MRL-lpr/lpr mice treated with anti-TNF mAb (100 micrograms/mouse; every other day), anti-V beta 8 TCR mAb (250 micrograms/mouse; every other day), or orally with the novel TNF-alpha inhibitor MDL 201,449A (9-[(1R, 3R)-trans-cyclopentan-3-ol] adenine; 25 mg/kg/day) exhibited reduced inflammatory arthritis, autoantibody formation, and serum TNF-alpha levels, but not IL-10 levels, after +30 days of treatment. These data suggest that SEB is an extremely potent macrophage-activating factor in vitro and in vivo, enhancing several aspects of autoimmune disease in MRL-lpr/lpr mice, and that anti-TNF therapies may have potential use in inflammatory arthritis.
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PMID:Inhibition of superantigen-induced proinflammatory cytokine production and inflammatory arthritis in MRL-lpr/lpr mice by a transcriptional inhibitor of TNF-alpha. 875 66

Regulatory T cells recognizing TCR determinants presumably play a critical role in the control of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a prototype tissue-specific autoimmune disease. This study was initiated to determine whether regulatory T cells can be induced against a V beta 17a CDR2 peptide (residues 50-68) in SJL/J mice. Although the TCR peptide showed regulatory effects in vivo, the presence of T cells specific for the peptide could not be proven with conventional proliferation assays. Unexpectedly, in the presence of myelin basic protein-specific T clone cells (Tcc), the sensitized spleen cells vigorously proliferated in response to the TCR peptide. The subsequent experiment showed that this was due to the outstanding capability of the Tcc as APC for the exogenous TCR peptide. Using the Tcc as APC, we were able to establish V beta 17a50-68-specific T cell lines from in vivo primed spleen cells. The line cells were MHC class I restricted and dominated by T cells with a distinct surface phenotype (CD4-CD8-V beta 17a+). Presentation of the peptide by the Tcc was inhibited by treatment with gelonin that could block a MHC class I presentation pathway. The ability of T cells to present the TCR peptide was not related to their Ag specificity, but correlated with the expression levels of MHC class I molecules and adhesion molecules such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and B7-1 on their surface. The TCR peptide-specific T cells produced a soluble mediator(s) that is inhibitory for T cell activation and were protective against actively induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. These results show that V beta 17a50-68 vaccination induces regulatory CD4-CD8- T cells that could interact with T cells presenting relevant TCR fragments.
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PMID:T-T cellular interaction between CD4-CD8- regulatory T cells and T cell clones presenting TCR peptide. Its implication for TCR vaccination against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. 875 68

Lethally irradiated Lewis (LEW) rats reconstituted with syngeneic bone marrow and given CsA for a 4-week period, develop, upon withdrawal of CsA, a graft-versus-host-like disease, so-called CsA-induced autoimmunity (CsA-AI). This T cell-mediated autoimmune disease is thymus-dependent; it is generally held that this disease is a consequence of aberrant T cell recovery brought about by CsA. In this study we determined mononuclear cell subsets phenotypically by tri-colour flow cytometry. A strong decrease in recent thymic emigrants (Thy1.1+, TCR alpha beta +) was observed as a consequence of CsA treatment, eventually resulting in decreased absolute peripheral T cell numbers. In these rats no altered CD4:CD8 T cell ratio was observed before onset of CsA-AI; CD4+ and CD8+ cells consisted predominantly of monocytes (CD4dim+, TCR alpha beta-) and natural killer cells (CD8+, TCR alpha beta-), respectively. LEW rats, x-irradiated, syngeneic bone marrow-reconstituted and treated with CsA, showed a marked and persistent, relative expansion of mature CD45RC+, RT6- Th cells. In contrast, Brown-Norway rats treated in a similar fashion, or LEW rats subjected to either CsA treatment or x-irradiation, did not show a comparable expansion of mature CD45RC+, RT6- Th cells, nor did these animals develop CsA-AI. The CD45RC+, RT6- Th cells produced IL-2, and moreover constituted the only Th subset producing IFN-gamma upon stimulation, and therefore were considered as Th1-like effector cells. These results are consistent with the view that a persistent preponderance of Th1 cells and not the mere presence of autoreactive cells determines whether or not clinically manifest CsA-AI will occur.
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PMID:Susceptibility to clinically manifest cyclosporine A (CsA)-induced autoimmune disease is associated with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-producing CD45RC+RT6- T helper cells. 880 39

In the present study we address the question of whether distinct self-determinants can target alternative autoimmune disease patterns in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model widely used for studying multiple sclerosis. We have found that the clinical course of EAE can be determined by the target peptide selected for induction of disease. In SJL/J mice, actively induced and passively transferred EAE mediated by the immunodominant PLP determinants p139-151 and p178-191 consistently produced a rapid onset of severe clinical signs. In contrast, a delayed onset of both active and passive EAE is associated with the nondominant cryptic PLP determinant p104-117. The delayed disease induced with p104-117 is not associated with any unusual peptide feature, with bystander immunoregulation, with inept class II MHC binding, or with failure to induce T cell expression of CD44, VLA-4, or IL-2 receptor upon activation. However, delayed disease is associated with innate qualities of the T cell repertoire responding to the p104-117 determinant. T cell lines responding to the cryptic p104-117 show limited TCR-V beta utilization compared to the diverse repertoire responding to the dominant p139-151 determinant. The repertoire deletions are accompanied by low level production of pathogenic Th1 cytokines (IFN gamma; IL-2) and increased production of regulatory Th2 (IL-4) cytokine in activated p104-117 primed T cells. Thus, the delayed encephalitogenicity of p104-117 may be due to TCR-V beta deletions and activation defects in the responding T cell repertoire. The development of "slow disease" mediated by autoreactivity against hidden self-determinants may have important implications in the pathogenesis of both relapsing and chronic autoimmune demyelinating disease.
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PMID:Determinant-regulated onset of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: distinct epitopes of myelin proteolipid protein mediate either acute or delayed disease in SJL/J mice. 882 78


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