title: Dendritic cells exposed in vitro to TGF-beta1 ameliorate experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis.
abstract: Experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) is an animal model for human myasthenia gravis (MG), characterized by an autoaggressive T-cell-dependent antibody-mediated immune response directed against the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) of the neuromuscular junction. Dendritic cells (DC) are unique antigen-presenting cells which control T- and B-cell functions and induce immunity or tolerance. Here, we demonstrate that DC exposed to TGF-beta1 in vitro mediate protection against EAMG. Freshly prepared DC from spleen of healthy rats were exposed to TGF-beta1 in vitro for 48 h, and administered subcutaneously to Lewis rats (2 x 10(6)DC/rat) on day 5 post immunization with AChR in Freund's complete adjuvant. Control EAMG rats were injected in parallel with untreated DC (naive DC) or PBS. Lewis rats receiving TGF-beta1-exposed DC developed very mild symptoms of EAMG without loss of body weight compared with control EAMG rats receiving naive DC or PBS. This effect of TGF-beta1-exposed DC was associated with augmented spontaneous and AChR-induced proliferation, IFN-gamma and NO production, and decreased levels of anti-AChR antibody-secreting cells. Autologous DC exposed in vitro to TGF-beta1 could represent a new opportunity for DC-based immunotherapy of antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology Units, Division of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yarilin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Y-M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: B-G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D020720:Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; C508962:Tgfb1 protein, rat; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1