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

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a Th1 cell-mediated autoimmune disease that can be protected against by stimulating regulatory cells. Here we examined whether EAE can be purposefully modulated by stimulating Valpha14 NK T cells with the CD1d-restricted ligand alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GC). EAE induced in wild-type C57BL/6 (B6) mice was not appreciably altered by injection of alpha-GC. However, EAE induced in IL-4 knockout mice and IFN-gamma knockout mice was enhanced or suppressed by alpha-GC, respectively. This indicates that the IL-4 and IFN-gamma triggered by alpha-GC may play an inhibitory or enhancing role in the regulation of EAE. We next studied whether NK T cells of wild-type mice may switch their Th0-like phenotype toward Th1 or Th2. Notably, in the presence of blocking B7.2 (CD86) mAb, alpha-GC stimulation could bias the cytokine profile of NK T cells toward Th2, whereas presentation of alpha-GC by CD40-activated APC induced a Th1 shift of NK T cells. Furthermore, transfer of the alpha-GC-pulsed APC preparations suppressed or enhanced EAE according to their ability to polarize NK T cells toward Th2 or Th1 in vitro. These results have important implications for understanding the role of NK T cells in autoimmunity and for designing a therapeutic strategy targeting NK T cells.
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PMID:Costimulation-dependent modulation of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by ligand stimulation of V alpha 14 NK T cells. 1112 51

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a prototype autoimmune disease mediated by type 1 helper T (TH1) cells and under the control of regulatory cells. Here we report that a synthetic glycolipid ligand for CD1d-restricted natural killer T (NKT) cells expressing the semi-invariant T-cell receptor (Valpha14+) is preventive against EAE. The ligand is an analogue of alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GC), a prototype NKT cell ligand, with a truncated sphingosine chain. alpha-GC causes NKT cells to produce both interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-4 (refs 4, 5). However, this new ligand can induce a predominant production of IL-4 by the NKT cells. A single injection of this glycolipid, but not of alpha-GC, consistently induced TH2 bias of autoimmune T cells by causing NKT cells to produce IL-4, leading to suppression of EAE. The lack of polymorphism of CD1d and cross-reactive response of mouse and human NKT cells to the same ligand indicates that targeting NKT cells with this ligand may be an attractive means for intervening in human autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
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PMID:A synthetic glycolipid prevents autoimmune encephalomyelitis by inducing TH2 bias of natural killer T cells. 1158 62

Natural killer (NK) T cells recognize lipid antigens in the context of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class 1-like molecule CD1 and rapidly secrete large amounts of the cytokines interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-4 upon T cell receptor (TCR) engagement. We have asked whether NK T cell activation influences adaptive T cell responses to myelin antigens and their ability to cause experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a model for multiple sclerosis. While simultaneous activation of NK T cells with the glycolipid alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer) and myelin-reactive T cells potentiates EAE in B10.PL mice, prior activation of NK T cells protects against disease. Exacerbation of EAE is mediated by an enhanced T helper type 1 (Th1) response to myelin basic protein and is lost in mice deficient in IFN-gamma. Protection is mediated by immune deviation of the anti-myelin basic protein (MBP) response and is dependent upon the secretion of IL-4. The modulatory effect of alpha-GalCer requires the CD1d antigen presentation pathway and is dependent upon the nature of the NK T cell response in B10.PL or C57BL/6 mice. Because CD1 molecules are nonpolymorphic and remarkably conserved among different species, modulation of NK T cell activation represents a target for intervention in T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.
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PMID:Activation of natural killer T cells potentiates or prevents experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. 1174 80

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) serves as a prototypic model for T cell-mediated autoimmunity. V(alpha)14 natural killer T (NKT) cells are a subset of T lymphocytes that recognize glycolipid antigens presented by the nonpolymorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-like protein CD1d. Here, we show that activation of V(alpha)14 NKT cells by the glycosphingolipid alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer) protects susceptible mice against EAE. beta-GalCer, which binds CD1d but is not recognized by NKT cells, failed to protect mice against EAE. Furthermore, alpha-GalCer was unable to protect CD1d knockout (KO) mice against EAE, indicating the requirement for an intact CD1d antigen presentation pathway. Protection of disease conferred by alpha-GalCer correlated with its ability to suppress myelin antigen-specific Th1 responses and/or to promote myelin antigen-specific Th2 cell responses. alpha-GalCer was unable to protect IL-4 KO and IL-10 KO mice against EAE, indicating a critical role for both of these cytokines. Because recognition of alpha-GalCer by NKT cells is phylogenetically conserved, our findings have identified NKT cells as novel target cells for treatment of inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system.
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PMID:Natural killer T cell activation protects mice against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. 1174 81

Although deficiencies in the NKT cell population have been observed in multiple sclerosis and mouse strains susceptible to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), little is known about the function of these cells in CNS autoimmunity. In this work we report that TCR Valpha14-Jalpha281 transgenic nonobese diabetic mice, which are enriched in CD1d-restricted NKT cells, are protected from EAE. The protection is associated with a striking inhibition of Ag-specific IFN-gamma production in the spleen, implying modulation of the encephalitogenic Th1 response. This modulation is independent of IL-4 because IL-4-deficient Valpha14-Jalpha281 mice are still protected against EAE and independent of NKT cell-driven Th1 to Th2 deviation, because no increased autoantigen-specific Th2 response was observed in immunized Valpha14-Jalpha281 transgenic mice. Our findings indicate that enrichment and/or stimulation of CD1d-dependent NKT cells may be used as a novel strategy to treat CNS autoimmunity.
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PMID:Cutting edge: V alpha 14-J alpha 281 NKT cells naturally regulate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in nonobese diabetic mice. 1205 8

NKT cells represent a unique T cell lineage that recognize glycolipid antigens in the context of the non-classical MHC class I molecule CD1d. NKT cells are potent producers of immunoregulatory cytokines, and have been implicated in several different autoimmune diseases in mice and humans, including Type 1 diabetes, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis--a mouse model for multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and scleroderma. This review will cover the evidence for an involvement for NKT cells in these autoimmune diseases, and discuss the potential for therapeutic manipulation of these cells as a means of preventing autoimmune disease in the clinic.
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PMID:NKT cells: potential targets for autoimmune disease therapy? 1214 18

Recent works from our laboratory have demonstrated that natural killer (NK) cells and CD1d-restricted NKT cells are functionally biased toward producing type 2 cytokine in the remission phase of multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease putatively mediated by Th1 T cells. Indirect evidence would indicate that the type 2 bias of NK and NKT cells is not the cause of MS but an adaptive change to protect against activation of pathogenic Th1 cells. In fact, NK cells biased for producing IL-5 (NK2 cells) would inhibit induction of Th1 cells in vitro. Here I propose that it is a reasonable strategy for the control of MS to maximize and/or optimize the regulatory potentials of the innate regulatory cells. We have already found that experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for MS, can be inhibited when NKT cells are partially stimulated by glycolipid ligands for NKT cells. Experiments proved that the suppression of disease is mediated by IL-4 produced by NKT cells. Future studies should be directed for identifying useful ligands for inducing regulatory cytokines from NK and NKT cells.
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PMID:[Therapeutic strategy for multiple sclerosis targeting NK and NKT cells]. 1223 27

Invariant NKT (inv. NKT) cells co-express an invariant alpha beta T cell receptor and the NK receptor NK1.1 and, upon CD1d-restricted recognition of the glycosphingolipid antigen alpha-galactosyl ceramide (alphaGalCer), secrete large amounts of regulatory cytokines. We investigated whether alphaGalCer-dependent activation of inv. NKT cells protects from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system mimicking multiple sclerosis, induced in C57BL/6 mice by the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) encephalitogenic peptide aa 35-55. alphaGalCer was administered at the time of immunization s.c., mixed with complete Freund's adjuvant and MOG35-55 peptide, or administered i.p., diluted in PBS. EAE onset was delayed and disease severity was decreased only when alphaGalCer was s.c. administered. The protective effect of s.c. administration of alphaGalCer was associated with a markedly enhanced IFN-gamma production by liver-confined inv. NKT cells which, in turn, suppressed Th1-cytokine production and fostered secretion of IL-10 from MOG35-55-specific T cells. In vivo neutralization of IFN-gamma, but notIL-4, reversed the protective effect induced by s.c. administration of alphaGalCer, further confirming the critical regulatory role exerted by IFN-gamma-producing inv. NKT cells. Our results indicate that alphaGalCer, properly administered, may elicit an inv. NKT-cell-mediated suppressive effect on the effector function of encephalitogenic T cells; this effect is able to ameliorate autoimmunedemyelination.
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PMID:Activation of invariant NKT cells by alphaGalCer administration protects mice from MOG35-55-induced EAE: critical roles for administration route and IFN-gamma. 1281 43

We have previously demonstrated that NK cells and CD1d-restricted NKT cells regulate clinical and pathological manifestations of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis(EAE), an animal model for multiple sclerosis(MS). It is important to address whether NK and NKT cells are also involved in the pathogenesis of human MS. Our laboratory has recently showed that NK cells as well as CD4+ NKT cells are biased for secreting type 2 cytokines in the remission phase of MS. However, CD4- CD8- NKT cells, that mainly secrete TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, are reduced in number and attenuated in cytokine secretion. These results support our postulate that NK and NKT cells are involved in the regulation of MS.
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PMID:[Involvement of NK and NKT cells in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis]. 1296 19

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis(EAE), regarded as a model of multiple sclerosis, is a prototype Th1-mediated autoimmune disease. Although a prototype natural killer T(NKT) cell ligand, alpha-galactosylceramide(alpha-GC), would render NKT cells produce both IFN-gamma and IL-4, this novel ligand, an analog of alpha-GC with a truncated sphingosine chain, can induce a predominant production of IL-4. Consistently, an oral administration of this glycolipid induces Th2 bias of autoimmune T cells via production of IL-4 by NKT cells, leading to suppression of EAE. The lack of polymorphism of CD1d and cross-reactive response of mouse and human NKT cells to the same ligand would indicate that targeting NKT cells with this ligand may be an attractive means for intervening in multiple sclerosis.
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PMID:[Treatment for multiple sclerosis with a synthetic glycolipid]. 1296 36


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