title: Th17 Cell Response in SOD1G93A Mice following Motor Nerve Injury.
abstract: An increased risk of ALS has been reported for veterans, varsity athletes, and professional football players. The mechanism underlying the increased risk in these populations has not been identified; however, it has been proposed that motor nerve injury may trigger immune responses which, in turn, can accelerate the progression of ALS. Accumulating evidence indicates that abnormal immune reactions and inflammation are involved in the pathogenesis of ALS, but the specific immune cells involved have not been clearly defined. To understand how nerve injury and immune responses may contribute to ALS development, we investigated responses of CD4(+) T cell after facial motor nerve axotomy (FNA) at a presymptomatic stage in a transgenic mouse model of ALS (B6SJL SOD1(G93A)). SOD1(G93A) mice, compared with WT mice, displayed an increase in the basal activation state of CD4(+) T cells and higher frequency of Th17 cells, which were further enhanced by FNA. In conclusion, SOD1(G93A) mice exhibit abnormal CD4(+) T cell activation with increased levels of Th17 cells prior to the onset of neurological symptoms. Motor nerve injury exacerbates Th17 cell responses and may contribute to the development of ALS, especially in those who carry genetic susceptibility to this disease.
authors.affiliation: Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA; Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL 60141, USA.
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Disease, Gansu Province Chinese Traditional Medicine Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu 730050, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL 60141, USA.
authors.forename: Nichole A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Mesnard-Hoaglin
authors.affiliation: Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.affiliation: Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL 60141, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
authors.forename: Evan B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Stubbs
authors.affiliation: Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL 60141, USA.
authors.forename: Susan O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology & Medical Genetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Virginia M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Research and Development Service, Roudebush VA Hospital, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL 60141, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
authors.forename: Eileen M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Foecking
authors.affiliation: Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA; Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL 60141, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
authors.forename: Junping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020220:Facial Nerve Injuries / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018344:T-Lymphocytopenia, Idiopathic CD4-Positive / Q000378:metabolism; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C000606291:Sod1 protein, mouse; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1