title: Increased T-cell immunity against aquaporin-4 and proteolipid protein in neuromyelitis optica.
abstract: In neuromyelitis optica (NMO), B-cell autoimmunity to aquaporin-4 (AQP4) has been shown to be essential. However, the role of T cells remains ambiguous. Here, we first showed an increase in CD69+ activated T cells in PBMCs during NMO relapses. Next, T-cell responses to AQP4 and myelin peptides were studied in 12 NM0 patients, 10 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and 10 healthy subjects (HS). Four hours after adding 1 of 28 overlapping AQP4 peptides, a mixture of AQP4 peptides (AQP4-M) or one of six distinct myelin peptides to 2-day cultured PBMC, CD69 expression on CD4+ T cells was examined. Data were analyzed by paired t-test, frequency of samples with 3-fold increase of CD69 on CD4+ cells (fSI3) and mean stimulation index (mSI). The T-cell response to AQP4-M was significantly increased in NMO (fSI3 = 10/12, mSI = 5.50), with AQP4 (11-30) and AQP4 (91-110) representing the two major epitopes (AQP4 (11-30), fSI3 = 11/12, mSI = 16.0 and AQP4 (91-110), fSI3 = 11/12, mSI = 13.0). Significant but less extensive responses to these two epitopes were also observed in MS and HS. Significant reactivities against AQP4 (21-40), AQP4 (61-80), AQP4 (101-120), AQP4 (171-190) and AQP4 (211-230) were exclusively found in NMO. In addition, responses to AQP4 (81-100) were higher and more frequently detected in NMO, without reaching statistical significance. Interestingly, among the six myelin peptides studied, proteolipid protein (95-116) induced a significant T-cell response in NMO (fSI3 = 7/12, mSI = 4.60). Our study suggests that cellular as well as humoral responses to AQP4 are necessary for NMO development and that the immune response to myelin protein may contribute to disease pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Division of Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization, Nagasaki Kawatana Medical Center, Japan.
authors.forename: Nemu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsuya
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Komori
authors.forename: Kyouichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Shunya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakane
authors.forename: Takayasu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukudome
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shiraishi
authors.forename: Klaus-Peter
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Wandinger
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kondo
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015551:Autoimmunity; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018450:Disease Progression; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000378:metabolism; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D018991:Myelin Proteolipid Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D001324:Autoantigens; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D018991:Myelin Proteolipid Protein; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D000099192:CD69 Antigens; C472930:PLP1 protein, human