Intracerebral recruitment and maturation of dendritic cells in the onset and progression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
Dendritic cells (DCs) are thought to be key elements in the initiation and maintenance of autoimmune diseases. In this study, we sought evidence that DCs recruited to the central nervous system (CNS), a site that is primarily devoid of resident DCs, play a role in the effector phase and propagation of the immune response in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). After immunization of SJL mice with proteolipid protein 139-151 peptide, process-bearing cells expressing the DC markers DEC-205 and CD11c appeared early in the spinal cord. During acute, chronic, and relapsing EAE, DEC-205(+) DCs expressing a lymphostimulatory phenotype (including the mature DC marker MIDC-8, major histocompatibility complex class II, CD40, and CD86 molecules) accumulated within the CNS inflammatory cell infiltrates. More prominent infiltration of the spinal cord parenchyma by mature DCs was observed in mice with relapsing disease. Macrophage inflammatory protein 3alpha, a chemokine active on DCs and lymphocytes, and its receptor CCR6 were up-regulated in the CNS during EAE. These findings suggest that intracerebral recruitment and maturation of DCs may be crucial in the local stimulation and maintenance of autoreactive immune responses, and that therapeutic strategies aimed at manipulating DC migration could be useful in the treatment of CNS autoimmune disorders.
Serafini
B
B
Laboratory of Organ and System Pathophysiology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
Columba-Cabezas
S
S
Di Rosa
F
F
Aloisi
F
F
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D016922:Cellular Senescence; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D054418:Chemokine CCL20; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D002831:Choroid Plexus / Q000473:pathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008578:Meninges / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D054399:Receptors, CCR6; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000378:metabolism; D012008:Recurrence; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation
C108355:CCL20 protein, human; C106311:CCR6 protein, human; D054418:Chemokine CCL20; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins; D054399:Receptors, CCR6; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine