title: CTLA-4: a negative regulator of autoimmune disease.
abstract: CTLA-4, a CD28 homologue expressed on activated T cells, binds with high affinity to the CD28 ligands, B7-1 (CD80) and B7-2 (CD86). This study was designed to examine the role of CTLA-4 in regulating autoimmune disease. Murine relapsing-remitting experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (R-EAE) is a demyelinating disease mediated by PLP139-151-specific CD4+ T cells in SJL/J mice. Anti-CTLA-4 mAbs (or their F(ab) fragments) enhanced in vitro proliferation and pro-inflammatory cytokine production by PLP139-151-primed lymph node cells. Addition of either reagent to in vitro activation cultures potentiated the ability of T cells to adoptively transfer disease to naive recipients. In vivo administration of anti-CTLA-4 mAb to recipients of PLP139-151-specific T cells resulted in accelerated and exacerbated disease. Finally, anti-CTLA-4 treatment of mice during disease remission resulted in the exacerbation of relapses. Collectively, these results suggest that CTLA-4 mediates the downregulation of ongoing immune responses and plays a major role in regulating autoimmunity.
authors: Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.
authors: N J
authors: NJ
authors: Karandikar
authors: C L
authors: CL
authors: Vanderlugt
authors: T L
authors: TL
authors: Walunas
authors: S D
authors: SD
authors: Miller
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Bluestone
mesh_terms: D000069594:Abatacept; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D001324:Autoantigens; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556707:Ctla4 protein, mouse; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D007376:Interleukin-2; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D010455:Peptides; D000069594:Abatacept; D007371:Interferon-gamma