Antigen-specific T cell trafficking into the central nervous system.
The initiation step of cell-mediated immune responses in the central nervous system (CNS) involves the trafficking of the antigen-specific T cells into the brain. To study this trafficking, we developed an in vivo system for studying antigen-specific responses in the CNS. In this assay, T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic mice having 95% of T cells specific for a defined antigen-pigeon cytochrome c (PCC) were cannulated intraventricularly for PCC antigen infusion and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling. Upon PCC infusion into the CNS, the number of alpha/beta TCR(+) Vbeta3(+) Mac1(-) cells in the CSF was characterized. We found that infusion of antigen into the CSF induced an increased number of antigen-specific T cells in the CNS and activation of antigen-specific T cells in the peripheral blood. Hence, the drainage of CNS antigen into the periphery might play an important role in sustaining autoimmune reactivity in CNS inflammatory diseases.
Qing
Z
Z
Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 3706, USA.
Sewell
D
D
Sandor
M
M
Fabry
Z
Z
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology*; D002465:Cell Movement; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000276:immunology; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis
D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D014157:Transcription Factors; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens