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Biomedical subjects

Ikuo Tsunoda

Publications and source records attributed to Ikuo Tsunoda.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

Polyreactive myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies: Implications for systemic autoimmunity in progressive experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Two myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG92-106) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced from an A.SW mouse with progressive experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Polyreactivity/specificity of the mAbs was demonstrated by ELISA. Functionality and a potential role in pathogenesis of systemic autoimmunity were demonstrated in vitro in a lymphocytotoxicity assay and in vivo upon injection into naïve mice. Injection of MOG mAb producing hybridomas into naïve mice resulted in immunoglobulin deposition in kidneys and liver. This model will be useful in determining whether transitional forms between CNS (organ)-specific and systemic autoimmune diseases exist, and whether progressive multiple sclerosis has features of a systemic autoimmune disease.

Animals↗

Contrasting roles for axonal degeneration in an autoimmune versus viral model of multiple sclerosis: When can axonal injury be beneficial?

Although demyelination is a cardinal feature in multiple sclerosis, axonal injury also occurs. We tested whether a delay in axonal degeneration could affect the disease severity in two models for multiple sclerosis: experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection. We compared wild-type C57BL/6 (B6) mice with C57BL/Wld(s) (Wld) mice, which carry a mutation that delays axonal degeneration. In EAE, both mouse strains were sensitized with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)(35-55) peptide and showed a similar disease onset, MOG-specific lymphoproliferative responses, and inflammation during the acute stage of EAE. However, during the chronic stage, B6 mice continued to show paralysis with a greater extent of axonal damage, demyelination, and MOG-specific lymphoproliferative responses compared with Wld mice, which showed complete recovery. In TMEV infection, only Wld mice were paralyzed and had increased inflammation, virus antigen-positive cells, and TMEV-specific lymphoproliferative responses versus infected B6 mice. Because TMEV can use axons to disseminate in the brain, axonal degeneration in B6 mice might be a beneficial mechanism that limits the virus spread, whereas slow axonal degeneration in Wld mice could favor virus spread. Therefore, axonal degeneration plays contrasting roles (beneficial versus detrimental) depending on the initiator driving the disease.

Animals↗

Infectious RNA isolated from the spinal cords of mice chronically infected with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus.

The DA strain of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) persistently infects cells of the spinal cord during the chronic phase of infection. Although in situ hybridization and reverse transcription-PCR have demonstrated the presence of viral RNA in the spinal cord, it has not been determined whether this RNA is infectious and, if so, how many PFU equivalents of virus the RNA can yield. In this study, we demonstrated that TMEV RNA isolated from the spinal cords of chronically infected mice is infectious and that there is at least 30-fold more infectious RNA than infectious virus in the spinal cords of these mice.

Animals↗

The pathologic role for COX-2 in apoptotic oligodendrocytes in virus induced demyelinating disease: implications for multiple sclerosis.

The objective of this study was examine whether the inducible isoform of the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX-2) was expressed in dying oligodendrocytes in the Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) induced demyelinating disease (TMEV-IDD), an experimental animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS). COX-2 is an enzyme that is tightly coupled to neuronal excitotoxic death. Since neuronal expression of COX-2 contributes to the susceptibility of neurons to excitotoxic death, we asked whether COX-2 was expressed in oligodendrocytes in MS plaques and in lesions during TMEV-IDD. COX-2 was expressed in oligodendrocytes in chronic active lesions from two MS patients. Similar pathology was present in TMEV-IDD spinal cord lesions. COX-2 was expressed in oligodendrocytes four weeks after infection with TMEV coincident with the onset of demyelination. A marker for apoptotic death, activated caspase 3, was present in a subset of oligodendrocytes that expressed COX-2. Oligodendrocyte expression of COX-2 in TMEV-IDD and MS lesions is consistent with a pathological role for this enzyme in demyelination. The presence of the cell death marker (activated caspase 3) with COX-2 in oligodendrocytes is direct evidence linking COX-2 with cell death of oligodendrocytes in these demyelinating diseases.

2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases↗

Monoclonal MOG-reactive autoantibody from progressive EAE has the characteristics of a natural antibody.

A.SW mice sensitized with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)92-106 is an animal model for progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). We isolated MOG-reactive monoclonal antibodies that were immunoglobulin (Ig)M and polyreactive, similar to natural autoantibodies. Upon analysis of the variable (V) light chains and the diversity (D) and joining (J) regions of V heavy chains, we found they were identical to germ line Vkappa19/28, Jkappa5, DFL16.1e and JH4, respectively. The sequence of the VH region had 99.7% and 100% identity at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively, compared with the germ line encoded antibody, P3, of the Q52 family. Although A strain mice have been reported to have an insertion in BAFF-R, the receptor for BAFF (B cell activation factor from the tumor necrosis factor family), which could explain our results, A.SW mice have no mutations in BAFF-R.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Multiple sclerosis and virus induced immune responses: autoimmunity can be primed by molecular mimicry and augmented by bystander activation.

Polymicrobial infections have been associated with plausible immune mediated diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Virus infection can prime autoimmune T cells specific for central nervous system (CNS) antigens, if virus has molecular mimicry with CNS proteins. On the other hand, infection of irrelevant viruses will induce two types of cytokine responses. Infection with a virus such as lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), can induce interferon (IFN)-alpha/beta production and suppress autoimmunity, while infection with a virus, such as murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV), can activate natural killer (NK), NKT and dendritic cells, resulting in interleukin (IL)-12 and IFN-gamma production. These cytokines can cause bystander activation of autoreactive T cells. We established an animal model, where mice infected with vaccinia virus encoding myelin protein can mount autoimmune responses. However, the mice develop clinical disease only after irrelevant immune activation either with complete Freund's adjuvant or MCMV infection. In this review, we propose that a combination of two mechanisms, molecular mimicry and bystander activation, induced by virus infection, can lead to CNS demyelinating diseases, including MS. Viral proteins having molecular mimicry with self-proteins in the CNS can prime genetically susceptible individuals. Once this priming has occurred, an immunologic challenge could result in disease through bystander activation by cytokines.

Animals↗

IFN-gamma production and astrocyte recognition by autoreactive T cells induced by Theiler's virus infection: role of viral strains and capsid proteins.

From mice infected with the DA strain of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV), CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) could be detected after stimulation with TMEV infected antigen presenting cells (APCs). These CTLs killed not only TMEV infected but also uninfected syngeneic cells. Killing was associated with interferon (IFN)-gamma production in ELISPOT assays. The CTLs were efficiently induced by vaccinia virus encoding DA virus capsid proteins, but not by APCs infected with the GDVII strain of TMEV. The CTLs produced IFN-gamma in response to TMEV infected, but not uninfected, astrocytes. The CTLs could be maintained in the presence of interleukin (IL)-2. We hypothesized that, in DA virus infection, CD8+ CTLs specific for viral capsid protein could recognize self protein on oligodendrocytes by molecular mimicry, leading to demyelination.

Animals↗

Massive apoptosis in lymphoid organs in animal models for primary and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

The mechanism(s) responsible for generating the different forms of multiple sclerosis, primary progressive (PP) and secondary progressive (SP) versus relapsing-remitting (RR), is not well understood. Using myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)(92-106), we have established animal models that mimic the different types of multiple sclerosis. A.SW mice develop PP or SP-experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) with large areas of demyelination and high titers of MOG antibody whereas SJL/J mice develop RR-EAE with perivascular T cells and mild demyelination. In A.SW progressive EAE, we found atrophy of the thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes with depletion of T and B cells and massive apoptosis, as demonstrated by immunohistochemistry, terminal dUTP nick-end labeling, and DNA agarose gel electrophoresis. To test whether lymphoid apoptosis itself contributes to disease progression, we injected SJL/J mice with apoptotic thymocytes. Injection of apoptotic cells resulted in greater than 20% of mice developing SP-EAE with ataxia. SJL/J mice with SP-EAE had large areas of demyelination, high MOG antibody titers and atrophic lymphoid organs. Spleen cells from mice with progressive EAE produced less interferon-gamma than those from RR-EAE when stimulated with mitogen. We suggest that induction of lymphoid apoptosis alters the balance of Th1 versus Th2 immune responses and increases MOG antibody production, leading to exacerbation of demyelination and subsequent disease progression.

Animals↗

Central nervous system pathology caused by autoreactive CD8+ T-cell clones following virus infection.

Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) causes a demyelinating disease in infected mice which has similarities to multiple sclerosis. Spleen cells from TMEV-infected SJL/J mice stimulated with antigen-presenting cells infected with TMEV resulted in a population of autoreactive CD8+ cytotoxic T cells that kill uninfected syngeneic cells. We established CD8+ T cell clones that could kill both TMEV-infected and uninfected syngeneic targets, although infected target cells were killed more efficiently. The CD8+ T-cell clones produced gamma interferon when incubated with either infected or uninfected syngeneic target cells. Intracerebral injection of the clones into naïve mice induced degeneration, not only in the brain, but also in the spinal cord. This suggests that CD8+ Tc1 cells could play a pathogenic role in central nervous system inflammation.

Adoptive Transfer↗

Converting relapsing remitting to secondary progressive experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) by ultraviolet B irradiation.

We induced experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in SJL/J mice, an animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS), using myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)(92-106) peptide, following ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. While all control mice developed relapsing-remitting (RR)-EAE, UV irradiation induced secondary progressive (SP)-EAE in some of the mice. Although mild demyelination was observed with T cell infiltration in RR-EAE, large demyelinating lesions developed in SP-EAE with massive macrophage and neutrophil infiltration and immunoglobulin deposition, but with little T cell infiltration. UV irradiation induced higher anti-MOG antibody responses. In SP-EAE, lymphoproliferative responses and interferon-gamma production were decreased without alteration of interleukin-4.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Distinct roles for IP-10/CXCL10 in three animal models, Theiler's virus infection, EAE, and MHV infection, for multiple sclerosis: implication of differing roles for IP-10.

Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) causes demyelination with inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS) in mice and is used as an animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS). Interferon-gamma inducible protein-10 kDa (IP-10) is a CXC chemokine and a chemoattractant for CXCR3+ T cells. IP-10 mRNA is expressed in the CNS during TMEV infection. However, administration of anti-IP-10 serum caused no difference in clinical signs, inflammation, demyelination, virus persistence or anti-virus antibody response in TMEV infection, while levels of virus specific and autoreactive lymphoproliferation increased. This likely reflects a difference in the pathogenesis of TMEV infection from that of two other animal models for MS, mouse hepatitis virus infection and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), where blocking of IP-10 resulted in clinical and histological improvement with suppression of antigen specific lymphoproliferation. In this review, we compare and contrast the roles of IP-10 between the three animal models for MS, and discuss the relevance to MS patients with different clinical courses.

Animals↗

Axonal injury heralds virus-induced demyelination.

Axonal pathology has been highlighted as a cause of neurological disability in multiple sclerosis. The Daniels (DA) strain of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus infects the gray matter of the central nervous system of mice during the acute phase and persistently infects the white matter of the spinal cord during the chronic phase, leading to demyelination. This experimental infection has been used as an animal model for multiple sclerosis. The GDVII strain causes an acute fatal polioencephalomyelitis without demyelination. Injured axons were detected in normal appearing white matter at 1 week after infection with DA virus by immunohistochemistry using antibodies specific for neurofilament protein. The number of damaged axons increased throughout time. By 2 and 3 weeks after infection, injured axons were accompanied by parenchymal infiltration of Ricinus communis agglutinin I(+) microglia/macrophages, but never associated with perivascular T-cell infiltration or obvious demyelination until the chronic phase. GDVII virus infection resulted in severe axonal injury in normal appearing white matter at 1 week after infection, without the presence of macrophages, T cells, or viral antigen-positive cells. The distribution of axonal injury observed during the early phase corresponded to regions where subsequent demyelination occurs during the chronic phase. The results suggest that axonal injury might herald or trigger demyelination.

Animals↗

Modulation of immune system function by measles virus infection. II. Infection of B cells leads to the production of a soluble factor that arrests uninfected B cells in G0/G1.

Measles can result in a variety of immunologic defects. Previously we showed that an Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cell line (B cells), when infected with measles virus, produced a soluble antiproliferative factor that inhibited proliferation of T and B cells. Here we explore the effects of infection by measles virus versus the virus-free soluble antiproliferative factor on B cells. The B cells showed no change in the amounts of interleukin (IL)-2, 10, 12, interferon (IFN)-gamma, or transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta when infected or exposed to the soluble factor. Similarly, B cells showed no change in the expression of class II major histocompatibility antigens, LFA-1, ICAM-1, CD19, CD40, CD80, CD86, CD95 (Fas), or CD178 (FasL). Cell cycle analysis showed that measles virus infection caused an accumulation of cells in S and G(2)/M phases with a "sub-G(1)" cell population, while incubation of cells with the soluble factor caused an accumulation in G(0)/G(1). These experiments provide evidence that measles virus causes a profound inhibition of B cell proliferation without distinguishable changes in cytokine profile or cell surface phenotype. Further, it appears that there are two populations of cells affected by infection: one population is growth arrested due to the influence of the immunosuppressive factor and is not infected; a second population that is infected progresses through S phase less efficiently. Alternatively, while both the soluble factor and live virus infection may affect cells in G(0)/G(1) phases, only live virus infection could selectively induce apoptosis of G(0)/G(1) cells, resulting in cell accumulation in S and G(2)/M phases with a build up of "sub-G(1)" cells.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Altered cell growth and morphology in a BHK-21 cell mutant that lacks a receptor for Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus.

The receptor for Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) remains unknown. In vitro, BHK-21 cells are permissive to infection by TMEV. Selecting mutants of BHK-21 cells produced a cell line (BHKR-) resistant to infection by TMEV. Viral persistence was ruled out by immunofluorescent staining for viral antigens. BHKR- cells were nonpermissive to infection even at high multiplicities of infection. In contrast, cells were able to support one round of virus replication when transfected with infectious TMEV RNA. Binding studies indicated that TMEV was unable to attach to these cells. These data are consistent with the BHKR- cells lacking a receptor for TMEV. Interestingly, BHKR- cells were larger in size and had a significant lag in growth after subculture versus BHK-21 cells. This suggests that the TMEV receptor on BHK-21 cells could play an important role in cell growth and morphology under physiologic conditions. BHKR- cells should facilitate the search for TMEV receptors.

Animals↗

Inside-Out versus Outside-In models for virus induced demyelination: axonal damage triggering demyelination.

The primary target in multiple sclerosis (MS) is believed to be either myelin itself (myelinopathy) or the myelin-forming cell, the oligodendrocyte (oligodendrogliopathy). Although axonal injury occurs in MS, it is regarded as a secondary event to the myelin damage. Here, the lesion develops from myelin (outside) to the axon (inside) (Outside-In model). Recently, gray matter lesions and axonal injury in normal-appearing white matter have also been reported in MS. This raises two questions. 1) Is axonal injury exclusively secondary to myelin damage or from a direct insult to the axon or neurons (axonopathy)? (2) Is the injured axon regarded as only an end result of pathology or disease, or can axonal injury contribute to the spread of secondary damage, including demyelination? The former is raised from the fact that axonal damage has been reported in several virus infections, including human immunodeficiency virus, human T-lymphotropic virus 1, herpes simplex virus and coronavirus, which also cause demyelination. The latter possibility where axonal injury leads to other changes is raised from the rather unexpected similarity between spinal cord injury (SCI) and MS where axonal injury, oligodendrocyte apoptosis and demyelination are all present. In SCI, transection of axons leads to delayed oligodendrocyte apoptosis with secondary demyelination. Neurofilament immunostaining of spinal cord sections demonstrates that axonal injury with oligodendrocyte apoptosis also precedes demyelination in an animal model for MS, Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus infection. This implies that axonal injury could trigger demyelination. In this instance, lesions develop from the axon (inside) to the myelin (outside) (Inside-Out model).

Animals↗

Mutation in loop I of VP1 of Theiler's virus delays viral RNA release into cells and enhances antibody-mediated neutralization: a mechanism for the failure of persistence by the mutant virus.

The DA strain of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis viruses (TMEV) causes a central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating disease with viral persistence despite the presence of high serum anti-TMEV antibody titers. The DA virus mutant, T81D, was created to have a mutation at position 81 in loop I of VP1, close to the putative virus receptor binding site. T81D showed slower replication in vitro and in vivo. T81D-infected mice developed anti-TMEV antibody responses with no virus persistence. We tested whether the differences between the viruses were due to alteration in virus-cell interactions, or in the resistance to neutralization by anti-TMEV antibody. Using radiolabeled viruses, we found no difference in binding to permissive cell lines between the mutant and wild-type viruses. In a semipermissive cell line, DA virus bound more efficiently than T81D. During the uncoating step, both viruses decapsidated without the production of stable intermediates and 80% of viruses were eluted or decapsidated after 45 minutes. At the final step of uncoating, however, T81D showed a slower rate of RNA release than DA virus into cells using a photoinactivation assay. Anti-TMEV monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies neutralized T81D virus more efficiently than DA virus in suspension. Further, these anti-TMEV antibodies were able to neutralize viruses that had already attached to cells but not internalized (postadsorption neutralization [PAN]). However, DA virus showed significant resistance to PAN after cells were incubated at 37 degrees C compared with T81D-infected cells. The development of resistance to PAN appeared to correlate with the rate of RNA release from virions into cells. In T81D virus infection, the slow RNA release and high susceptibility to neutralization by antibodies would result in a failure to establish virus persistence in vivo. Conversely, rapid RNA release and resistance to neutralization could favor virus persistence in DA virus infection.

Animals↗

Induction of autoreactive CD8+ cytotoxic T cells during Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus infection: implications for autoimmunity.

Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) belongs to the family Picornaviridae and causes demyelinating disease in the spinal cords of infected mice. Although immune responses have been shown to play an important role in demyelination, the precise effector mechanism(s) is unknown. Potentially autoreactive cytotoxic cells could contribute to the destruction. We tested whether an autoreactive cell induced by TMEV infection mediated cytotoxicity by using a 5-h (51)Cr release assay in SJL/J mice. Spleen cells from TMEV-infected mice were stimulated with irradiated TMEV antigen-presenting cells and used as effector cells. The effector cells differed from conventional cytotoxic T cells since these cells could kill both TMEV-infected and uninfected syngeneic or semisyngenic cell lines (PSJLSV and BxSF11gSV) but could not kill an allogeneic cell line (C57SV). The TMEV-induced autoreactive cells were also different from conventional natural killer (NK) cells or lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells, because they could kill neither NK cell-sensitive YAC-1 nor NK cell-resistant P815 and EL4 cells. Induction of autoreactive cells was not detected in vaccinia virus infection. The autoreactive killing required direct cell-to-cell contact and was mediated by a Fas-FasL pathway but not by a perforin pathway. The phenotype of the killer cells was CD3(+) CD4(-) CD8(+). Intracerebral inoculation of the effector cells into naive mice caused meningitis and perivascular cuffing not only in the brain parenchyma but also in the spinal cord, with no evidence of viral antigen-positive cells. This is the first report demonstrating that TMEV can induce autoreactive cytotoxic cells that induce central nervous system pathology.

Adoptive Transfer↗