title: Mast cells are required for optimal autoreactive T cell responses in a murine model of multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Once considered to be of sole importance in allergy and parasitic infections, the role of mast cells in other pathologic and protective immune responses is becoming increasingly evident. We previously demonstrated that mast cells contribute to the severity of EAE, the rodent model of multiple sclerosis. Here we show that one mode of mast cell action is through effects on the autoreactive T cell response. Early indices of both peripheral CD4 and CD8 T cell activation, including IFN-gamma production and increases in CD44 and CD11a expression, are attenuated in mast cell-deficient (W/Wv) mice after myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein(35-55) priming when compared to WT animals. Reduced infiltrates of activated T cells in the central nervous system are also observed. Importantly, selective repletion of the mast cell compartment restores most T cell responses in the lymph nodes and the central nervous system, correlating with reconstitution of severe disease. The adoptive transfer of WT-derived encephalitogenic T cells results in significantly less severe disease in W/Wv recipients, indicating that mast cells also exert potent effects after the initial T cell response is generated. Our data provide the first in vivo evidence that mast cells can significantly influence T cell responses and suggest that mast cells exacerbate disease during both the inductive and effector phases.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robbie-Ryan
authors.forename: Virginia H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Secor
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sabatino
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D020297:Mice, Congenic; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D006183:H-2 Antigens; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C445081:myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (35-55)