title: Th17 cells induce ectopic lymphoid follicles in central nervous system tissue inflammation.
abstract: Ectopic lymphoid follicles are hallmarks of chronic autoimmune inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, and myasthenia gravis. However, the effector cells and mechanisms that induce their development are unknown. Here we showed that in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the animal model of MS, Th17 cells specifically induced ectopic lymphoid follicles in the central nervous system (CNS). Development of ectopic lymphoid follicles was partly dependent on the cytokine interleukin 17 (IL-17) and on the cell surface molecule Podoplanin (Pdp), which was expressed on Th17 cells, but not on other effector T cell subsets. Pdp was also crucial for the development of secondary lymphoid structures: Pdp-deficient mice lacked peripheral lymph nodes and had a defect in forming normal lymphoid follicles and germinal centers in spleen and lymph node remnants. Thus, Th17 cells are uniquely endowed to induce tissue inflammation, characterized by ectopic lymphoid follicles within the target organ.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Anneli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Pitcher
authors.forename: Jenna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Meike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitsdoerffer
authors.forename: Sophie E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Acton
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Franz
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wucherpfennig
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turley
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: Raymond A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Sobel
authors.forename: Estelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bettelli
authors.forename: Vijay K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Kuchroo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000098853:Podoplanin
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C490441:Pdpn protein, mouse; D000098853:Podoplanin