title: Preclinical testing of strategies for therapeutic targeting of human T-cell trafficking in vivo.
abstract: Naive T cells are migratory cells that continuously recirculate between blood and lymphoid tissues. Antigen-specific stimulation of T cells within the lymph nodes reprograms the trafficking properties of T cells by inducing a specific set of adhesion molecules and chemokine receptors on their surface which allow these activated and effector T cells to effectively and specifically home to extralymphoid organs. The observations of organ-specific homing of T cells initiated the development of therapeutic strategies targeting adhesion receptors for organ-specific inhibition of chronic inflammation. As most adhesion receptors have additional immune functions besides mediating leukocyte trafficking, these drugs may have additional immunomodulatory effects. Therapeutic targeting of T-cell trafficking to the central nervous system is the underlying concept of a novel treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis with the humanized anti-alpha-4-integrin antibody natalizumab. In this chapter, we describe a possible preclinical in vivo approach to directly visualize the therapeutic efficacy of a given drug in inhibiting T-cell homing to a certain organ at the example of the potential of natalizumab to inhibit the trafficking of human T cells to the inflamed central nervous system in an animal model of multiple sclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Theodor Kocher Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coisne
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Engelhardt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002469:Cell Separation; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018715:Microscopy, Video; D000069442:Natalizumab; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D000069442:Natalizumab