Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) is a picornavirus which induces a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in certain susceptible mouse strains. Demyelination has been shown to result from immunopathological responses mediated by CD4+, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-restricted T cells. As little or no class II is expressed in the normal mouse CNS, the ability of astrocytes to express these proteins and present antigen to T cells from TMEV-infected mice was investigated here. It is shown that astrocytes are capable of presenting TMEV to virus-specific T cells in vitro, and that this ability is dependent on prior induction of MHC class II by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) treatment. Unlike other viruses such as murine hepatitis virus-JHM (a coronavirus) and measles, TMEV is not capable of inducing class II on astrocytes directly. There is a correlation between the ease of class II induction on astrocytes from different mouse strains by IFN-gamma and mouse strain susceptibility to TMEV-induced demyelinating disease. These results suggest that following viral infection and initial T-cell infiltration into the CNS, class II induction on astrocytes is a key step allowing local antigen presentation and amplification of immunopathological responses within the CNS and hence the development of demyelinating disease.

Type

Journal article

Journal

Immunology

Publication Date

05/1992

Volume

76

Pages

133 - 139

Keywords

Animals, Antigen-Presenting Cells, Antigens, Viral, Astrocytes, Cells, Cultured, Disease Susceptibility, Enterovirus Infections, Histocompatibility Antigens Class II, Interferon-gamma, Maus Elberfeld virus, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Mice, Inbred CBA, Mice, Inbred Strains, Recombinant Proteins, T-Lymphocytes