Interferon gamma, interleukin 4 and transforming growth factor beta in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in Lewis rats: dynamics of cellular mRNA expression in the central nervous system and lymphoid cells.

TY - JOUR

T1 - Interferon gamma, interleukin 4 and transforming growth factor beta in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in Lewis rats: dynamics of cellular mRNA expression in the central nervous system and lymphoid cells.

AU - Issazadeh-Navikas, Shohreh

AU - Mustafa, M

AU - Ljungdahl, A

AU - Höjeberg, B

AU - Dagerlind, A

AU - Elde, R

AU - Olsson, T

N1 - Keywords: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Central Nervous System; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental; Immunohistochemistry; In Situ Hybridization; Interferon Type II; Interleukin-4; Lymph Nodes; Lymphoid Tissue; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; RNA, Messenger; Rats; Rats, Inbred Lew; Spleen; T-Lymphocytes; Transforming Growth Factor beta

PY - 1995

Y1 - 1995

N2 - The potential role of certain important immunoregulatory and effector cytokines in autoimmune neuroinflammation have been studied. We have examined the expression of mRNA, with in situ hybridization, of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin 4 (IL-4) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) both in sections of spinal cords and the antigen-induced expression of these cytokines by lymphoid cells after stimulation with a dominant encephalitogenic peptide of MBP (MBP 63-88) during the course of actively induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Lewis rats. In spinal cords, the target organ in EAE, cells expressing mRNA for IFN-gamma, first appeared at the onset of clinical signs, i.e., day 10 postimmunization (p.i.), peaked at the height of disease (day 13 p.i.) and then gradually decreased concomitant with recovery. Very few IL-4 mRNA-expressing cells appeared in the spinal cord with no clear relation to clinical signs or histopathology. In contrast, expression of mRNA for TGF-beta did not increase until day 13 p.i., at height of the disease, shortly preceding recovery. These data are consistent with a disease upregulating role of IFN-gamma, while TGF-beta may act to limit central nervous system (CNS) inflammation. In lymphoid organs, primed MBP 63-88 reactive T cells showed an interesting time-dependent evolution of their cytokine production in vitro. Thus, early after immunization there was a conspicuous MBP 63-88-induced production of both IFN-gamma and IL-4. Such cells may act in the initiation and promotion of the disease. Later, in the recovery phase, MBP 63-88 induced lymphoid cells to TGF-beta production. Thus, an autoantigen-specific production of TGF-beta occurred during EAE and hypothetically such a mechanism may serve to downregulate aggressive autoimmunity systemically.

AB - The potential role of certain important immunoregulatory and effector cytokines in autoimmune neuroinflammation have been studied. We have examined the expression of mRNA, with in situ hybridization, of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin 4 (IL-4) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) both in sections of spinal cords and the antigen-induced expression of these cytokines by lymphoid cells after stimulation with a dominant encephalitogenic peptide of MBP (MBP 63-88) during the course of actively induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Lewis rats. In spinal cords, the target organ in EAE, cells expressing mRNA for IFN-gamma, first appeared at the onset of clinical signs, i.e., day 10 postimmunization (p.i.), peaked at the height of disease (day 13 p.i.) and then gradually decreased concomitant with recovery. Very few IL-4 mRNA-expressing cells appeared in the spinal cord with no clear relation to clinical signs or histopathology. In contrast, expression of mRNA for TGF-beta did not increase until day 13 p.i., at height of the disease, shortly preceding recovery. These data are consistent with a disease upregulating role of IFN-gamma, while TGF-beta may act to limit central nervous system (CNS) inflammation. In lymphoid organs, primed MBP 63-88 reactive T cells showed an interesting time-dependent evolution of their cytokine production in vitro. Thus, early after immunization there was a conspicuous MBP 63-88-induced production of both IFN-gamma and IL-4. Such cells may act in the initiation and promotion of the disease. Later, in the recovery phase, MBP 63-88 induced lymphoid cells to TGF-beta production. Thus, an autoantigen-specific production of TGF-beta occurred during EAE and hypothetically such a mechanism may serve to downregulate aggressive autoimmunity systemically.

U2 - 10.1002/jnr.490400503

DO - 10.1002/jnr.490400503

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 7602612

SN - 0360-4012

VL - 40

SP - 579

EP - 590

JO - Journal of Neuroscience Research

JF - Journal of Neuroscience Research

IS - 5

ER -