scholarly journals Regulation of Immune Cell Infiltration into the CNS by Regional Neural Inputs Explained by the Gate Theory

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasunobu Arima ◽  
Daisuke Kamimura ◽  
Lavannya Sabharwal ◽  
Moe Yamada ◽  
Hidenori Bando ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Immune Cell Infiltration ◽  
Virus Infections ◽  
Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽  
Mechanical Disruption ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Experimental Autoimmune

The central nervous system (CNS) is an immune-privileged environment protected by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which consists of specific endothelial cells that are brought together by tight junctions and tight liner sheets formed by pericytes and astrocytic end-feet. Despite the BBB, various immune and tumor cells can infiltrate the CNS parenchyma, as seen in several autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), cancer metastasis, and virus infections. Aside from a mechanical disruption of the BBB like trauma, how and where these cells enter and accumulate in the CNS from the blood is a matter of debate. Recently, using experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of MS, we found a “gateway” at the fifth lumber cord where pathogenic autoreactive CD4+ T cells can cross the BBB. Interestingly, this gateway is regulated by regional neural stimulations that can be mechanistically explained by the gate theory. In this review, we also discuss this theory and its potential for treating human diseases.

AIM2 inflammasome activation in astrocytes occurs during the late phase of EAE

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Barclay ◽  
M. Elizabeth Deerhake ◽  
Makoto Inoue ◽  
Toshiaki Nonaka ◽  
Kengo Nozaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Animal Model ◽  
Cell Death ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽  
Inflammasome Activation ◽  
Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Experimental Autoimmune

ABSTRACTInflammasomes are a class of innate immune signaling platforms that activate in response to an array of cellular damage and pathogens. Inflammasomes promote inflammation under many circumstances to enhance immunity against pathogens and inflammatory responses through their effector cytokines, IL-1β and IL-18. Multiple sclerosis and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), are such autoimmune conditions influenced by inflammasomes. Despite work investigating inflammasomes during EAE, little remains known concerning the role of inflammasomes in the central nervous system (CNS) during the disease. Here we use multiple genetically modified mouse models to monitor activated inflammasomes in situ based on ASC oligomerization in the spinal cord. Using inflammasome reporter mice, we found heightened inflammasome activation in astrocytes after the disease peak. In contrast, microglia and CNS-infiltrated myeloid cells had few activated inflammasomes in the CNS during EAE. Astrocyte inflammasome activation was dependent on AIM2, but low IL-1β expression and no significant signs of cell death were found in astrocytes during EAE. Thus, the AIM2 inflammasome activation in astrocytes may have a distinct role from traditional inflammasome-mediated inflammation.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTInflammasome activation in the peripheral immune system is pathogenic in multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). However, inflammasome activity in the central nervous system (CNS) is largely unexplored. Here, we used genetically modified mice to determine inflammasome activation in the CNS during EAE. Our data indicated heightened AIM2 inflammasome activation in astrocytes after the disease peak. Unexpectedly, neither CNS-infiltrated myeloid cells nor microglia were the primary cells with activated inflammasomes in SC during EAE. Despite AIM2 inflammasome activation, astrocytes did not undergo apparent cell death and produced little of the proinflammatory cytokine, IL-1β, during EAE. This study showed that CNS inflammasome activation occurs during EAE without associating with IL-1β-mediated inflammation.

scholarly journals TGF-β in Mice Ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in Regulating NK Cell Activity

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 1155-1160 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Xu ◽  
Y. Wang ◽  
H. Jiang ◽  
M. Sun ◽  
J. Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Central Nervous System ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽  
Nk Cells ◽  
Nk Cell ◽  
Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Experimental Autoimmune

Multiple sclerosis is a disease characterized by inflammation and demyelination located in the central nervous system. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is the most common animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS). Although the roles of T cells in MS/EAE have been well investigated, little is known about the functions of other immune cells in the neuroinflammation model. Here we found that an essential cytokine transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) which could mediate the differentiation of Th17/regulatory T cells was implicated in the natural killer (NK) cells’ activity in EAE. In EAE mice, TGF-β expression was first increased at the onset and then decreased at the peak, but the expressions of TGF-β receptors and downstream molecules were not affected in EAE. When we immunized the mice with MOG antigen, it was revealed that TGF-β treatment reduced susceptibility to EAE with a lower clinical score than the control mice without TGF-β. Consistently, inflammatory cytokine production was reduced in the TGF-β treated group, especially with downregulated pathogenic interleukin-17 in the central nervous system tissue. Furthermore, TGF-β could increase the transcription level of NK cell marker NCR1 both in the spleen and in the CNS without changing other T cell markers. Meanwhile TGF-β promoted the proliferation of NK cell proliferation. Taken together, our data demonstrated that TGF-β could confer protection against EAE model in mice through NK cells, which would be useful for the clinical therapy of MS.

scholarly journals A Mushroom Extract Piwep fromPhellinus igniariusAmeliorates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis by Inhibiting Immune Cell Infiltration in the Spinal Cord

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lan Li ◽  
Guang Wu ◽  
Bo Young Choi ◽  
Bong Geom Jang ◽  
Jin Hee Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Lymph Node ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Immune Cell Infiltration ◽  
Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽  
Phellinus Igniarius ◽  
Mushroom Extract ◽  
Experimental Autoimmune

The present study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of a mushroom extract fromPhellinus igniariusin an animal model of multiple sclerosis. The medicinal mushroom,Phellinus igniarius, contains biologically active compounds that modulate the human immune system. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced by immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG 35–55) in C57BL/6 female mice. A water-ethanol extract ofPhellinus igniarius(Piwep) was delivered intraperitoneally every other day for the entire experimental course. Three weeks after the initial immunization, demyelination and immune cell infiltration in the spinal cord were examined. Piwep injection profoundly decreased the daily incidence rate and clinical score of EAE. The Piwep-mediated inhibition of the clinical course of EAE was accompanied by suppression of demyelination and infiltration of encephalitogenic immune cells including CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, macrophages, and B cells in the spinal cord. Piwep reduced expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in the spinal cord and integrin-α4in the lymph node of EAE mice. Piwep also inhibited proliferation of lymphocytes and secretion of interferon-γin the lymph node of EAE mice. The results suggest that a mushroom extract, Piwep, may have a high therapeutic potential for ameliorating multiple sclerosis progression.

scholarly journals Endothelial Wnt/β-catenin signaling reduces immune cell infiltration in multiple sclerosis

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (7) ◽  
pp. E1168-E1177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin E. Lengfeld ◽  
Sarah E. Lutz ◽  
Julian R. Smith ◽  
Claudiu Diaconu ◽  
Cameron Scott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Cell Junctions ◽  
Cell Infiltration ◽  
Immune Cell Infiltration ◽  
Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽  
T Cell Infiltration ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Cell Adhesion Molecule 1

Disruption of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a defining and early feature of multiple sclerosis (MS) that directly damages the central nervous system (CNS), promotes immune cell infiltration, and influences clinical outcomes. There is an urgent need for new therapies to protect and restore BBB function, either by strengthening endothelial tight junctions or suppressing endothelial vesicular transcytosis. Although wingless integrated MMTV (Wnt)/β-catenin signaling plays an essential role in BBB formation and maintenance in healthy CNS, its role in BBB repair in neurologic diseases such as MS remains unclear. Using a Wnt/β-catenin reporter mouse and several downstream targets, we demonstrate that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is up-regulated in CNS endothelial cells in both human MS and the mouse model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Increased Wnt/β-catenin activity in CNS blood vessels during EAE progression correlates with up-regulation of neuronal Wnt3 expression, as well as breakdown of endothelial cell junctions. Genetic inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in CNS endothelium before disease onset exacerbates the clinical presentation of EAE, CD4+ T-cell infiltration into the CNS, and demyelination by increasing expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and the transcytosis protein Caveolin-1 and promoting endothelial transcytosis. However, Wnt signaling attenuation does not affect the progressive degradation of tight junction proteins or paracellular BBB leakage. These results suggest that reactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in CNS vessels during EAE/MS partially restores functional BBB integrity and limits immune cell infiltration into the CNS.

scholarly journals Caspase-11 Mediates Oligodendrocyte Cell Death and Pathogenesis of Autoimmune-Mediated Demyelination

2001 ◽  
Vol 193 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shin Hisahara ◽  
Junying Yuan ◽  
Takashi Momoi ◽  
Hideyuki Okano ◽  
Masayuki Miura
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Cell Death ◽  
Caspase 3 ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Deficient Mice ◽  
Experimental Autoimmune

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), are inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by localized areas of demyelination. The mechanisms underlying oligodendrocyte (OLG) injury in MS and EAE remain unknown. Here we show that caspase-11 plays crucial roles in OLG death and pathogenesis in EAE. Caspase-11 and activated caspase-3 were both expressed in OLGs in spinal cord EAE lesions. OLGs from caspase-11–deficient mice were highly resistant to the cell death induced by cytotoxic cytokines. EAE susceptibility and cytokine concentrations in the CNS were significantly reduced in caspase-11–deficient mice. Our findings suggest that OLG death is mediated by a pathway that involves caspases-11 and -3 and leads to the demyelination observed in EAE.

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