title: Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 2A exacerbates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and enhances antigen presentation function.
abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory, autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. The cause of MS is still unknown but epidemiological and immunological studies have implicated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which infects B cells, as a possible etiological agent involved in disease. Of particular interest is EBV latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A) because previous studies have demonstrated that LMP2A enhances the expansion and differentiation of B cells upon antigen stimulation, revealing a potential contribution of this protein in autoimmunity. Since B cells are thought to contribute to MS, we examined the role of LMP2A in the animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). In this model, transgenic mice in which B cells express LMP2A show increased severity and incidence of disease. This difference was not due to lymphocyte recruitment into the CNS or differences in T cell activation, rather, we show that LMP2A enhances antigen presentation function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology - Immunology, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University , Chicago IL 60611, USA.
authors.forename: Rhoda A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Longnecker
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C445081:myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (35-55)