Differential priming of CD8 and CD4 T-cells in animal models of autoimmune hepatitis and cholangitis.
The pathogenesis of autoimmune liver diseases is poorly understood. Animal models are necessary to investigate antigen presentation and priming of T-cells in the context of autoimmunity in the liver. Transgenic mouse models were generated in which the model antigen ovalbumin is expressed in hepatocytes (TF-OVA) or cholangiocytes (ASBT-OVA). Transgenic OT-I (CD8) or OT-II (CD4) T-cells specific for ovalbumin were adoptively transferred into TF-OVA and ASBT-OVA mice to induce in vivo priming of antigen-specific T-cells. T-cell migration and activation, as well as induction of liver inflammation, were studied. OT-I T-cells preferentially located to the liver of both mouse strains whereas no migration of OT-II T-cells to the liver was observed. OT-I T-cells proliferated in the liver of TF-OVA mice and the liver and liver draining lymph nodes of ASBT-OVA mice. OT-II CD4 T-cells were activated in spleen and liver draining lymph node of TF-OVA mice but not in ASBT-OVA mice. Transfer of OT-I T-cells led to histologically distinct inflammatory conditions in the liver of ASBT-OVA and TF-OVA mice and caused liver injury as determined by the elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase.


CONCLUSIONS
An antigen expressed in hepatocytes is presented to CD8 and CD4 T-cells, whereas the same antigen expressed in cholangiocytes is presented to CD8 but not CD4 T-cells. In both models, activation of CD8 T-cells occurs within the liver and causes liver inflammation. The models presented here are valuable to investigate the priming of T-cells in the liver and their role in the development of autoimmune disease of the liver.
Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, CVK, Berlin, Germany.
Katja
K
Derkow
Christoph
C
Loddenkemper
Justine
J
Mintern
Nils
N
Kruse
Katja
K
Klugewitz
Thomas
T
Berg
Bertram
B
Wiedenmann
Hidde L
HL
Ploegh
Eckart
E
Schott
D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D002761:Cholangitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000378:metabolism
D010047:Ovalbumin