TCDD Inhibition of IgG1 Production in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) and In Vitro

The environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin (TCDD) is a ligand for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). TCDD is well-characterized to produce immunotoxicity, including suppression of antibody production. Previously we showed that TCDD inhibited myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) peptide-specific IgG and attenuated disease in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model in mice. Thus, the purpose of this study was to characterize the effects of TCDD on IgG subclasses in EAE and in vitro and assess effects in B cells derived from various tissues. TCDD modestly suppressed intracellular IgG expression in splenocytes (SPLC), but not bone marrow (BM) or lymph node (LN) cells. To further understand TCDD's effects on IgG, we utilized LPS and LPS + IL-4 in vitro to stimulate IgG3 and IgG1 production, respectively. TCDD preferentially suppressed IgG1+ cell surface expression, especially in SPLC. However, TCDD was able to suppress IgG1 and IgG3 secretion from SPLC and B cells, but not BM cells. Lastly, we revisited the EAE model and determined that TCDD suppressed MOG-specific IgG1 production. Together these data show that the IgG1 subclass of IgG is a sensitive target of suppression by TCDD. Part of the pathophysiology of EAE involves production of pathogenic antibodies that can recruit cytolytic cells to destroy MOG-expressing cells that comprise myelin, so inhibition of IgG1 likely contributes to TCDD's EAE disease attenuation.