Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0014070 (encephalomyelitis)
 13,017 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Chronic inflammatory autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis are caused by CD4(+) Th1 cells. Because Th2 cells antagonize Th1 cell functions in several ways, it is believed that immune deviation towards Th2 can prevent or cure autoimmune diseases. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a demyelinating disease used as a model for multiple sclerosis. Using an adoptive transfer system we assessed the role of Th1 and Th2 cells in EAE. In vitro generated Th1 and Th2 cells from myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific TCR transgenic mice were transferred into normal and immunodeficient mice. Th1 cells caused EAE in all recipients after a brief preclinical phase. Surprisingly, Th2 cells also caused EAE in RAG-1 KO mice and in alphabeta T cell-deficient mice, albeit after a longer preclinical phase. Normal or gammadelta T cell-deficient mice were resistant to EAE induced by Th2 cells. The histopathological features of this disease resembled those of an allergic process. In addition, disease induction by Th1 cells was not altered by coadmininstration of Th2 cells in any of the recipients. These findings indicate that MBP-specific Th2 cells have the potential to induce EAE and that the disease induced by previously activated Th1 cells cannot be prevented by normal lymphocytes nor by previously activated Th2 cells.
 ...
PMID:Myelin basic protein-specific T helper 2 (Th2) cells cause experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in immunodeficient hosts rather than protect them from the disease. 922 60

In multiple sclerosis (MS) myelin damage is the result of a chronic inflammatory process mediated by CD4 positive T helper/effector cells. In experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), the animal model of MS, treatment with anti-CD4 antibodies can prevent the onset of disease. Natural history studies have demonstrated that gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain is more sensitive and objective in assessing inflammatory disease activity in MS than clinical monitoring, so that less patients and shorter studies suffice to reach the same statistical power as compared to trials using clinical outcome parameters. In this paper we describe the design of an exploratory trial of chimeric monoclonal anti-CD4 antibodies in the treatment of MS. For this study we chose the number of active MS lesions on monthly gadolinium enhanced MRI scans as the primary outcome measure.
 ...
PMID:A phase II trial of anti-CD4 antibodies in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. 934 13

Autoimmune diseases are often characterized by spontaneous remission followed by relapses. Although the mechanism(s) controlling pathogenic self-reactive T cells are not fully understood, recent data in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a prototype for CD4 T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases, indicate that spontaneous recovery is mediated by regulatory T cells (Treg) specific for peptides derived from the beta-chain of the TCR. Here we have tested whether recombinant single-chain TCRs (scTCRs) containing Vbeta domains can be used as vaccines for efficient priming of Treg. A single injection of mice with these recombinant proteins leads to efficient in vivo priming of Treg and almost complete protection from Ag-induced EAE. Significantly, administration of scTCRs during ongoing disease at a 10-fold lower dose than that required for prophylactic treatment also reverses established EAE. However, if a higher dose of scTCR is administered during ongoing disease, paralytic symptoms become exacerbated and the majority of treated animals die from severe and chronic EAE. Furthermore, we demonstrate that regulatory determinants are processed and presented from scTCRs resulting in the recruitment of both CD4 and CD8 regulatory T cells which are required for efficient regulation induced by scTCR. Reversal of established disease following an optimum dose of recombinant TCRs suggests that proteins expressing appropriate Vbeta domains could be used for the treatment of a variety of T cell-mediated pathologic conditions.
 ...
PMID:Recombinant T cell receptor molecules can prevent and reverse experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: dose effects and involvement of both CD4 and CD8 T cells. 936 45

Genetic analysis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) can provide clues to the etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS). Identifying the susceptibility genes of DA rats may be particularly rewarding since they are prone to develop a remarkably MS-like chronic and demyelinating disease. As a first step in this direction, we investigated the role of DA genes within and outside the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) for susceptibility to severe protracted and relapsing EAE (SPR-EAE). This form of EAE developed in DA rats but not in LEW. ACI and BN rats after immunization with syngeneic spinal cord and complete Freund's adjuvant. Studies of crosses between DA and BN rats revealed that non-MHC genes determine susceptibility to SPR-EAE. A role for MHC-genes was also established using MHC-congenic rat strains, in which the DA MHC haplotype (av1) associated with relapsing EAE. Again, non-MHC genes were decisive since a high incidence of SPR-EAE only occurred in rats with DA non-MHC genes. Analysis of cytokine mRNA expression and infiltrating cells in the spinal cords of congenic strains revealed that the av1 haplotype associated with a high CD4/CD8 ratio and expression of mRNA for interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), but not for transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) or interleukin-10 (IL-10). In contrast, the other MHC haplotypes (h, l, u) associated with low CD4/CD8 ratios and mRNA expression for TGF-beta and IL-10, but not for IFN-gamma. DA non-MHC genes determined the intensity of inflammation since the number of cells expressing MHC class II, CD4 and interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) was higher in DA rats than in LEW.1AV1 and PVG.1AV1 rats which also carry the av1 haplotype. We conclude that the MHC haplotype of DA rats favors a prolonged proinflammatory autoimmune response associated with relapses, while the DA background intensifies inflammation correlating with a high incidence of relapsing disease.
 ...
PMID:Genetic analysis of inflammation, cytokine mRNA expression and disease course of relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in DA rats. 941 57

Previous studies have shown that differential susceptibility to actively induced experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) and experimental allergic orchitis (EAO) exists among various BALB/c substrains. Of eight substrains studied for EAE and 13 for EAO, BALB/cJ mice are phenotypically the most resistant to disease induction. Resistance to both diseases is controlled by single recessive mutations unlinked to any of the known alleles distinguishing BALB/cJ mice. In this study, segregation analysis employing a second generation backcross population shows that resistance to both EAE and EAO is due to a mutation in a common immunoregulatory gene. The role of immunoregulatory cells in controlling EAE resistance was examined using adoptive transfer protocols. BALB/cJ mice immunized with spinal cord homogenate plus adjuvants generate immunoregulatory spleen cells (SpC) that, when transferred to naive BALB/cByJ recipients, reduce the incidence and severity of EAE. Treatment of such cells with either cytotoxic monoclonal anti-Thy1.2 or anti-CD4 plus C' before transfer abrogates the ability of BALB/cJ SpC to inhibit disease. In contrast, neither SpC from adjuvant-immunized BALB/cJ nor spinal cord homogenate- plus adjuvant-primed BALB/cByJ donors influences the incidence or severity of disease observed in recipients. In addition, the role of environment in influencing susceptibility to EAE and EAO in BALB/c mice is documented. Taken together, these results support the existence of a common disease susceptibility locus in the pathways leading to two autoantigenically distinct CD4+ T cell-mediated, organ-specific, autoimmune diseases.
 ...
PMID:A common immunoregulatory locus controls susceptibility to actively induced experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and experimental allergic orchitis in BALB/c mice. 951 Jan 76

Vaccination of mice with activated autoantigen-reactive CD4(+) T cells (T cell vaccination, TCV) has been shown to induce protection from the subsequent induction of a variety of experimental autoimmune diseases, including experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). Although the mechanisms involved in TCV-mediated protection are not completely known, there is some evidence that TCV induces CD8(+) regulatory T cells that are specific for pathogenic CD4(+) T cells. Previously, we demonstrated that, after superantigen administration in vivo, CD8(+) T cells emerge that preferentially lyse and regulate activated autologous CD4(+) T cells in a T cell receptor (TCR) Vbeta-specific manner. This TCR Vbeta-specific regulation is not observed in beta2-microglobulin-deficient mice and is inhibited, in vitro, by antibody to Qa-1. We now show that similar Vbeta8-specific Qa-1-restricted CD8(+) T cells are also induced by TCV with activated CD4(+) Vbeta8(+) T cells. These CD8(+) T cells specifically lyse murine or human transfectants coexpressing Qa-1 and murine TCR Vbeta8. Further, CD8(+) T cell hybridoma clones generated from B10.PL mice vaccinated with a myelin basic protein-specific CD4(+)Vbeta8(+) T cell clone specifically recognize other CD4(+) T cells and T cell tumors that express Vbeta8 and the syngeneic Qa-1(a) but not the allogeneic Qa-1(b) molecule. Thus, Vbeta-specific Qa-1-restricted CD8(+) T cells are induced by activated CD4(+) T cells. We suggest that these CD8(+) T cells may function to specifically regulate activated CD4(+) T cells during immune responses.
 ...
PMID:T cell vaccination induces T cell receptor Vbeta-specific Qa-1-restricted regulatory CD8(+) T cells. 953 72

Immunization of Lewis (LEW) rats with guinea pig myelin basic protein (MBP) induces a population of encephalitogenic CD4 T cells having specificity for the dominant immunogenic peptide of MBP, 68-86. The TCR beta chains of these disease-causing T cells show three distinct features: they are almost exclusively Vbeta8.2, they use AspSer as the first two amino acid residues of the third complementarity-determining region (CDR3) and these junctional region sequences show few if any non-germline N-region nucleotide additions. This last feature raises the possibility that these autoimmune T cell precursors derive from TCR gene rearrangements occurring during early, perinatal ontogeny, a period when the enzyme terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT), responsible for N region additions, is not expressed. An alternative possibility is that these features of the TCR of MBP 68-86-reactive T cells are dictated by considerations of antigen selection throughout ontogeny both in the thymus and in the periphery--ie., that such beta chains are conformationally the most appropriate for triggering by an epitope of 68-86 complexed to class II RT1.BI MHC molecules. We show here that active experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, while delayed in onset, occurs in heavily irradiated animals, but not in the absence of a thymus, a finding indicating that this autoimmune disease is caused by a T cell subpopulation derived from the post-irradiation adult thymus. These disease-causing T cells are heavily Vbeta8.2+, CDR3 AspSer+ and use few N region additions. We conclude that T cells with these TCR beta chain features can be generated in the adult thymus and most likely reflect requirements imposed by antigen selection.
 ...
PMID:Analysis of TCR beta chains in Lewis rats with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. II. Vbeta8.2+ T cells with limited CDR3 N region additions derive from the adult thymus. 956 61

Following intracerebral infection with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV), susceptible strains of mice (SJL and PLJ) develop virus persistence and demyelination similar to that found in human multiple sclerosis. Resistant strains of mice (C57BL/6) clear virus and do not develop demyelination. To resolve the controversy about the role of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in the development of demyelination and neurologic deficits in diseases of the central nervous system, we analyzed TMEV infection in CD4- and CD8-deficient B6, PLJ, and SJL mice. Genetic deletion of either CD4 or CD8 from resistant B6 mice resulted in viral persistence and demyelination during the chronic stage of disease. Viral persistence and demyelination were detected in all strains of susceptible background. Although genetic deletion of CD8 had no effect on the extent of demyelination in susceptible strains, deletion of CD4 dramatically increased the degree of demyelination observed. Whereas strains with deletions of CD4 showed severe neurologic deficits, mice with deletions of CD8 showed minimal or no deficits despite demyelination. In all strains, deletion of CD4 but not CD8 resulted in a decreased delayed-type hypersensitivity response to viral antigen. We conclude that each T-cell subset makes a discrete and nonredundant contribution to protection from viral persistence and demyelination in resistant strains. In contrast, in susceptible strains, CD8(+) T cells do not provide protection against chronic demyelinating disease. Furthermore, in persistent TMEV infection of the central nervous system, neurologic deficits appear to result either from the absence of a protective class II-restricted immune response or from the presence of a pathogenic class I-restricted response.
 ...
PMID:CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells make discrete contributions to demyelination and neurologic disease in a viral model of multiple sclerosis. 969 28

To elucidate the efficacy of 4-acetylaminophenylacetic acid (actarit), an anti-rheumatic drug, on neuroinflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis, the effects of actarit on both actively induced and adoptively transferred experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) were studied. Daily intraperitoneal administration of actarit during the effector phase of active EAE and transferred EAE suppressed the clinical manifestation and pathological findings of EAE at doses of 300 mg/kg or higher. The percentages of CD4 and CD25 positive cells in the infiltrating cells in the CNS were reduced by this treatment. Semi-quantitative cytokine analysis revealed that the mRNA expression of TNF-alpha and INF-gamma in spinal cords and spleens of actarit treated active EAE rats was significantly reduced compared with vehicle treated EAE rats. The mRNA expression of IL-10 on day 17 in spleens of actarit-treated EAE rats was significantly upregulated. Actarit is potentially useful for the treatment of neuroimmunological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis.
 ...
PMID:Suppressive effects of 4-acetylaminophenylacetic acid (actarit) on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in rats. 971 59

The B7/CD28:CTLA-4 costimulatory pathway plays a critical role in determining the fate of immune responses (activation vs. down-regulation) and is a highly promising therapeutic target for treating autoimmune diseases. In this review, we highlight the mechanisms by which this costimulatory pathway operates emphasizing the role of the different components in the pathogenesis of relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a CD4 T cell-mediated autoimmune model of multiple sclerosis. The separate and distinct roles of B7-1, B7-2 and CTLA-4 in positive and negative regulation of autoimmune pathogenesis are considered and a working model is proposed.
 ...
PMID:Targeting the B7/CD28:CTLA-4 costimulatory system in CNS autoimmune disease. 972 20


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>