Differential expression of NK T cell V alpha 24J alpha Q invariant TCR chain in the lesions of multiple sclerosis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.
Human V alpha 24+ NK T cells are a unique subset of lymphocytes expressing the V alpha 24J alpha Q invariant TCR chain. Because they can rapidly produce large amounts of regulatory cytokines, a reduction of NK T cells may lead to the development of certain autoimmune diseases. Using a single-strand conformation polymorphism method, we demonstrate that a great reduction of V alpha 24J alpha Q NK T cells in the peripheral blood is an immunological hallmark of multiple sclerosis, whereas it is not appreciable in other autoimmune/inflammatory diseases such as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. The chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy lesions were often found to be infiltrated with V alpha 24J alpha Q NK T cells, but multiple sclerosis lesions only rarely expressed the V alpha 24J alpha Q TCR. It is therefore possible that the extent of NK T cell alteration may be a critical factor which would define the clinical and pathological features of autoimmune disease. Although the mechanism underlying the NK T cell deletion remains largely unclear, a remarkable contrast between the CNS and peripheral nervous system diseases allows us to speculate a role of tissue-specific elements such as the level of CD1d expression or differences in the CD1d-bound glycolipid.
Illés
Z
Z
Department of Demyelinating Disease and Aging, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.
Kondo
T
T
Newcombe
J
J
Oka
N
N
Tabira
T
T
Yamamura
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015332:Gene Rearrangement, alpha-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020277:Polyradiculoneuropathy, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta