Early activation of microglia as antigen-presenting cells correlates with T cell-mediated protection and repair of the injured central nervous system.
After an injury to the central nervous system (CNS), activated microglia have been shown to contribute to the ongoing destructive processes leading to secondary neuronal degeneration. They can, however, also express neuroprotective activity. Studies from our laboratory point to the existence of a physiological T cell-mediated neuroprotective mechanism (adaptive immunity) that is amenable to boosting. We postulate that the beneficial or destructive outcome of the local microglial (innate) response is determined by a well-controlled dialog between the innate and the adaptive immune players. Here, we show that spontaneous or exogenously boosted T cell-mediated neuroprotection is correlated with early activation of microglia as antigen-presenting cells. We suggest that such microglial activity, if well controlled, is a crucial step in determining the fate of the neurons in a hostile environment.
Shaked
Iftach
I
Department of Neurobiology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.
Porat
Ziv
Z
Gersner
Roman
R
Kipnis
Jonathan
J
Schwartz
Michal
M
D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000502:physiology; D017628:Microglia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020221:Optic Nerve Injuries / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013045:Species Specificity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism