title: Virus-induced CD8+ T cells accelerate the onset of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: implications for how viral infections might trigger multiple sclerosis exacerbations.
abstract: Viral infections can exacerbate multiple sclerosis (MS) through poorly defined mechanisms. We developed an experimental system whereby infection with an asymptomatic neurotropic alphavirus caused a transient acceleration of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) without altering the expansion or differentiation of autoreactive CD4+ T cells. Instead, this effect on the clinical course of EAE depended on CD8+ T cells that neither participate in viral clearance nor induce neuropathology in infected mice without EAE. Our system should be useful to further unravel how certain viral infections trigger MS exacerbations and to understand how CD8+ T cells can exert pathogenic effects within active demyelinating lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, 4007 Biomedical Sciences Research Building, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, United States.
authors.forename: Emily K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Rainey-Barger
authors.forename: Pennelope K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Blakely
authors.forename: Amanda K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Benjamin M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Irani
mesh_terms: D018354:Alphavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000276:immunology; D012845:Sindbis Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology