title: Myelin-reactive antibodies mediate the pathology of MBP-PLP fusion protein MP4-induced EAE.
abstract: Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is frequently used for studies of multiple sclerosis (MS). Because in most EAE models T cells mediate the pathology in the absence of B cells/autoantibodies, the notion has evolved that also MS may be a primarily T cell-mediated disease. We have previously introduced MBP-PLP fusion protein (MP4)-induced EAE in C57BL/6 mice. Here we show that the disease in this model is antibody-dependent. Immunization of B cell-deficient mice did not induce EAE. When such B cell-deficient mice were, however, injected with MBP/PLP-specific antibodies in addition to the immunization with MP4, they developed disease of a severity and course that was similar to the wild-type mice. The deposition of antibodies in demyelinated lesions provided further evidence for the contribution of MBP/PLP-specific antibodies to CNS lesion formation. Based upon these data we suggest a two-stage model for the involvement of MBP/PLP-specific antibodies in autoimmune CNS pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy I, University of Cologne, D-50931 Cologne, Germany. stefanie.kuerten@uk-koeln.de
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuerten
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pauly
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rottlaender
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodi
authors.forename: Traugott L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Gruppe
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Addicks
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tary-Lehmann
authors.forename: Paul V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Lehmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000276:immunology*; D018991:Myelin Proteolipid Protein / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; C101821:MP4 protein, chimeric; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D018991:Myelin Proteolipid Protein; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins