title: Depletion of CD8+ T cells suppresses the development of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis in Lewis rats.
abstract: To understand the role of CD8+ T cells in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG), CD8+ T cells were depleted by injecting a monoclonal anti-rat CD8 antibody (OX8) into Lewis rats immunized with Torpedo acetylcholine receptor (AChR) in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). CD8-depleted EAMG rats showed strikingly less muscle weakness and lower anti-AChR IgG antibody levels compared to Hy2-15-injected control EAMG rats. Moreover, the numbers of AChR-specific IgG antibody-secreting cells, AChR-reactive interferon-gamma-secreting T helper type 1-like cells and lymphocyte proliferation to AChR were lower in the CD8-depleted group than in control EAMG rats. These differences were significant among mononuclear cells from inguinal and popliteal lymph nodes, mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen, but not from thymus when examined 3, 5 and 7 weeks post-immunization. We suggest that CD8+ T cells are involved in the induction and persistance of EAMG by directly or indirectly affecting AChR-reactive T cells and anti-AChR IgG antibody-secreting cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: G X
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakhiet
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Olsson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007114:Immunization; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D009132:Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014101:Torpedo
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D007371:Interferon-gamma