title: B cells are critical to induction of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis by protein but not by a short encephalitogenic peptide.
abstract: While the pathology of multiple sclerosis implicates a role for B cells and antibodies in the disease process, results from animal models have yielded conflicting results. To further characterize the role of B cells in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), wild-type and B cell-deficient C57BL/6 mice were immunized with either a recombinant form of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) or with the encephalitogenic MOG(35-55) peptide. B cell-deficient mice did not develop EAE when immunized with MOG, although they were susceptible to MOG(35-55)-induced disease. In contrast, wild-type mice were fully susceptible to both MOG and MOG(35-55)-induced EAE. B cell-deficient mice immunized with MOG were primed to the encephalitogenic MOG(35- 55) epitope, as their spleen cells responded with Th1 cytokine production in a fashion similar to WT cells when challenged in vitro with MOG protein or MOG(35-55) peptide. These results demonstrate that the form of inducing antigen (protein vs. peptide) plays a role in the pathogenesis of EAE and may be relevant when applying results from the EAE model to multiple sclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, USA. lyonsj@neuro-wustl.edu
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: San
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Happ
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Cross
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000473:pathology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010455:Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: C571327:Mog protein, mouse; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010455:Peptides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma