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Cytotoxic effect of myelin basic protein-reactive T cells on cultured oligodendrocytes
1Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104.
To help clarify effector mechanisms in experimental allergic encephalitis (EAE), the cytotoxic effects of myelin basic protein (MBP)-reactive lymphocytes on oligodendrocytes were studied using a 51Cr release assay. MBP-reactive encephalitogenic T cell lines were cytotoxic to 51Cr-labeled oligodendrocyte target cells derived from Lewis rat fetal brain-dissociated culture, when incubated for 6 h in the presence of antigen-presenting cells (APC) and MBP (percent 51Cr release = 65 +/- 3% vs. spontaneous release = 22 +/- 3% vs. normal lymph node cells + APC and MBP = 20 +/- 3%). This reaction is time dependent, likely MHC restricted, and is not just a nonspecific toxic effect against any Lewis target cells since neither fibroblasts nor astrocytes were affected. Other (tetanus toxoid-reactive) lymphoblasts stimulated by specific antigen were not cytotoxic to the oligodendrocytes. These findings suggest that oligodendrocytes might be target cells for MBP-reactive lymphocytes in EAE if antigen presentation is appropriate.
To help clarify effector mechanisms in experimental allergic encephalitis (EAE), the cytotoxic effects of myelin basic protein (MBP)-reactive lymphocytes on oligodendrocytes were studied using a 51Cr release assay. MBP-reactive encephalitogenic T cell lines were cytotoxic to 51Cr-labeled oligodendrocyte target cells derived from Lewis rat fetal brain-dissociated culture, when incubated for 6 h in the presence of antigen-presenting cells (APC) and MBP (percent 51Cr release = 65 +/- 3% vs. spontaneous release = 22 +/- 3% vs. normal lymph node cells + APC and MBP = 20 +/- 3%). This reaction is time dependent, likely MHC restricted, and is not just a nonspecific toxic effect against any Lewis target cells since neither fibroblasts nor astrocytes were affected. Other (tetanus toxoid-reactive) lymphoblasts stimulated by specific antigen were not cytotoxic to the oligodendrocytes. These findings suggest that oligodendrocytes might be target cells for MBP-reactive lymphocytes in EAE if antigen presentation is appropriate.