T lymphocyte repertoire in Theiler's virus encephalomyelitis: the nonspecific infiltration of the central nervous system of infected SJL/J mice is associated with a selective local T cell expansion.
Theiler's virus causes, in the susceptible SJL/J mouse, a chronic demyelinating disease that resembles multiple sclerosis. Demyelination is at least in part immune mediated and coincides with the infiltration of the central nervous system by T lymphocytes. We analyzed the repertoire of the T cell receptor (TcR) beta-chain for each V beta-J beta combination, in spinal cord and spleen T cells of infected animals. All V beta families were detected in spinal cord as well as in spleen, as if the central nervous system were undiscriminantly invaded by T cells in the infected animals. Some T cells, defined by specific V beta-J beta combinations, were expanded in the spinal cord but not in the spleen, most probably because of an antigen-driven response. The TcR beta-chain repertoire of infiltrating T cells was the same at the onset of demyelination as when the disease was full-blown. These results provide the first description of the repertoire of the T cells which infiltrate the central nervous system during the course of this disease.
Musette
P
P
Unité de Biologie Moléculaire du Gène, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Bureau
J F
JF
Gachelin
G
G
Kourilsky
P
P
Brahic
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement; D005260:Female; D004680:Maus Elberfeld virus / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta