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Perforin-dependent neurologic injury in a viral model of multiple sclerosis. J Neurosci 1998 Sep 15;18(18):7306-14

Date

09/16/1998

Pubmed ID

9736651

Pubmed Central ID

PMC6793251

DOI

10.1523/JNEUROSCI.18-18-07306.1998

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0032530698 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   98 Citations

Abstract

In this study we demonstrate perforin-mediated cytotoxic effector function is necessary for viral clearance and may directly contribute to the development of neurologic deficits after demyelination in the Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) model of multiple sclerosis. We previously demonstrated major histocompatability complex (MHC) class I-deficient (beta2m-deficient) mice with an otherwise resistant genotype develop severe demyelination with minimal neurologic disease when chronically infected with TMEV. These studies implicate CD8(+) T cells as the pathogenic cell in the induction of neurologic disease after demyelination. To determine which effector mechanisms of CD8(+) T cells, granule exocytosis or Fas ligand expression, play a role in the development of demyelination and clinical disease, we infected perforin-deficient, lpr (Fas mutation), and gld (Fas ligand mutation) mice with TMEV. Perforin-deficient mice showed viral persistence in the CNS, chronic brain pathology, and demyelination in the spinal cord white matter. Perforin-deficient mice demonstrated severely impaired MHC class I-restricted cytotoxicity against viral epitopes, but normal MHC class II-restricted delayed-type hypersensitivity responses to virus antigen. Despite demyelination, virus-infected perforin-deficient mice showed only minimal neurologic deficits as indicated by clinical disease score, activity monitoring, and footprint analysis. Perforin- and MHC class II-deficient mice (with functional CD8(+) T cells and perforin molecules and an H-2(b) haplotype) had comparable demyelination and genotype, however, only the latter showed severe clinical disease. Gld and lpr mice demonstrated normal TMEV-specific cytotoxicity and maintained resistance to TMEV-induced demyelinating disease. These studies implicate perforin release by CD8(+) T cells as a potential mechanism by which neurologic deficits are induced after demyelination.

Author List

Murray PD, McGavern DB, Lin X, Njenga MK, Leibowitz J, Pease LR, Rodriguez M

Author

Paul D. Harker-Murray MD, PhD Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Chronic Disease
Demyelinating Diseases
Disease Models, Animal
Exocytosis
Fas Ligand Protein
Female
Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
Male
Membrane Glycoproteins
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Mutant Strains
Microscopy, Electron
Multiple Sclerosis
Mutation
Neurons
Perforin
Poliomyelitis
Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins
Spinal Cord
T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic
Theilovirus
fas Receptor