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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Determining Immune System Suppression versus CNS Protection for Pharmacological Interventions in Autoimmune Demyelination
Published on: September 12, 2016
Contrasting roles for Valpha14+ natural killer T cells in a viral model for multiple sclerosis
Ikuo Tsunoda1, Tomoko Tanaka, Masaru Taniguchi
1Department of Pathology, Division of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 North 1900 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA. ikuo.tsunoda@hsc.utah.edu
Abstract:
Most natural killer (NK) T cells express an invariant Valpha14 T-cell receptor. To explore the contribution of NKT cells in an animal model for multiple sclerosis, Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection, TMEV-infected mice were treated with Valpha14 antibody. Treatment during the early stage of infection delayed the onset of demyelinating disease with higher interleukin-4 production, whereas administration during the late stage or weekly resulted in more severe demyelination with enhanced virus persistence. The effect of in vivo depletion of NKT cells differed depending on the stage of infection, suggesting contrasting roles for NKT cells over the disease course.
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