title: T cell epitope spreading to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein in HLA-DR4 transgenic mice during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
abstract: Epitope spreading has been implicated in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and human multiple sclerosis (MS). T cell epitope spreading has been demonstrated in rodents for myelin basic protein (MBP) and proteolipid protein (PLP) determinants, but not for myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), another important myelin antigen. Moreover, the role of human autoimmunity-associated MHC molecules in epitope spreading, including HLA-DR2 and DR4, has not been formally examined. To address these questions, we investigated epitope spreading to MOG determinants in HLA-DR4 (DRB1*0401) transgenic mice during EAE. The data show that upon induction of EAE in HLA-DR4 transgenic mice with the immunodominant HLA-DR4-restricted MOG peptide 97-108 (MOG(97-108); TCFFRDHSYQEE), the T cell response diversifies over time to MOG(181-200) (core: MOG(183-191); FVIVPVLGP) and MBP. The spreading epitope MOG(181-200) binds with high affinity to HLA-DRB1*0401 and is presented by human HLA-DRB1*0401+antigen presenting cells. Moreover, this epitope is encephalitogenic in HLA-DRB1*0401 transgenic mice. This study demonstrates intra- and intermolecular epitope spreading to MOG and MBP in "humanized" HLA-DR4 transgenic mice.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
authors.forename: Juliane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klehmet
authors.forename: Carey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shive
authors.forename: Rocio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guardia-Wolff
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Edward G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Spack
authors.forename: Bernhard O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Boehm
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weissert
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Forsthuber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen; C442246:MOG peptide 97-108; C571326:MOG protein, human; C571327:Mog protein, mouse; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010446:Peptide Fragments