Myelin-phagocytosing macrophages modulate autoreactive T cell proliferation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in which macrophages play a central role. Initially, macrophages where thought to be merely detrimental in MS, however, r...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hellings Niels, Stinissen Piet, Bogie Jeroen FJ, Hendriks Jerome JA
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2011-07-01
Series:Journal of Neuroinflammation
Online Access:http://www.jneuroinflammation.com/content/8/1/85
_version_ 1828927472571252736
author Hellings Niels
Stinissen Piet
Bogie Jeroen FJ
Hendriks Jerome JA
author_facet Hellings Niels
Stinissen Piet
Bogie Jeroen FJ
Hendriks Jerome JA
author_sort Hellings Niels
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in which macrophages play a central role. Initially, macrophages where thought to be merely detrimental in MS, however, recent evidence suggests that their functional phenotype is altered following myelin phagocytosis. Macrophages that have phagocytosed myelin may be less inflammatory and may exert beneficial effects. The presence of myelin-containing macrophages in CNS-draining lymph nodes and perivascular spaces of MS patients suggests that these cells are ideally positioned to exert an immune regulatory role. Therefore we evaluated in this study the effect of myelin-phagocytosing macrophages on lymphocyte reactivity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thioglycolate-elicited rat peritoneal macrophages were loaded with myelin and cocultured with myelin-basic protein (MBP) or ovalbumin (OVA) reactive lymphocytes. Lymphocyte proliferation was determined by CFSE-labeling. The role of nitric oxide in regulating lymphocyte proliferation was assessed by addition of an inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase to the coculture. <it>In vivo </it>immune regulation was investigated by treating MBP- and OVA-immunized animals subcutaneously with myelin. Cognate antigen specific lymphocyte proliferation and nitric oxide production were determined 9d post-immunization.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study we demonstrate that myelin-phagocytosing macrophages inhibit TCR-triggered lymphocyte proliferation in an antigen-independent manner. The observed immune suppression is mediated by an increase in NO production by myelin-phagocytosing macrophages upon contact with lymphocytes. Additionally, myelin delivery to primarily CD169<sup>+ </sup>macrophages in popliteal lymph nodes of OVA-immunized animals results in a reduced cognate antigen specific proliferation. In contrast to OVA-immunized animals, lymphocytes from MBP-immunized animals displayed an increased proliferation after stimulation with their cognate antigen, indicating that myelin-phagocytosing macrophages have dual effects depending on the specificity of surrounding lymphocytes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Collectively our data show that myelin phagocytosis leads to an altered macrophage function that inhibits lymphocyte proliferation. Additionally, results from this study indicate that myelin-phagocytosing macrophages fulfill a dual role <it>in vivo</it>. On one hand they aggravate autoimmunity by activating myelin-reactive lymphocytes and on the other hand they suppress lymphocyte reactivity by producing NO.</p>
first_indexed 2024-12-13T23:50:19Z
format Article
id doaj.art-cb6931c660da48f490ca30eef570bdff
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1742-2094
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-13T23:50:19Z
publishDate 2011-07-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Journal of Neuroinflammation
spelling doaj.art-cb6931c660da48f490ca30eef570bdff2022-12-21T23:26:48ZengBMCJournal of Neuroinflammation1742-20942011-07-01818510.1186/1742-2094-8-85Myelin-phagocytosing macrophages modulate autoreactive T cell proliferationHellings NielsStinissen PietBogie Jeroen FJHendriks Jerome JA<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in which macrophages play a central role. Initially, macrophages where thought to be merely detrimental in MS, however, recent evidence suggests that their functional phenotype is altered following myelin phagocytosis. Macrophages that have phagocytosed myelin may be less inflammatory and may exert beneficial effects. The presence of myelin-containing macrophages in CNS-draining lymph nodes and perivascular spaces of MS patients suggests that these cells are ideally positioned to exert an immune regulatory role. Therefore we evaluated in this study the effect of myelin-phagocytosing macrophages on lymphocyte reactivity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thioglycolate-elicited rat peritoneal macrophages were loaded with myelin and cocultured with myelin-basic protein (MBP) or ovalbumin (OVA) reactive lymphocytes. Lymphocyte proliferation was determined by CFSE-labeling. The role of nitric oxide in regulating lymphocyte proliferation was assessed by addition of an inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase to the coculture. <it>In vivo </it>immune regulation was investigated by treating MBP- and OVA-immunized animals subcutaneously with myelin. Cognate antigen specific lymphocyte proliferation and nitric oxide production were determined 9d post-immunization.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study we demonstrate that myelin-phagocytosing macrophages inhibit TCR-triggered lymphocyte proliferation in an antigen-independent manner. The observed immune suppression is mediated by an increase in NO production by myelin-phagocytosing macrophages upon contact with lymphocytes. Additionally, myelin delivery to primarily CD169<sup>+ </sup>macrophages in popliteal lymph nodes of OVA-immunized animals results in a reduced cognate antigen specific proliferation. In contrast to OVA-immunized animals, lymphocytes from MBP-immunized animals displayed an increased proliferation after stimulation with their cognate antigen, indicating that myelin-phagocytosing macrophages have dual effects depending on the specificity of surrounding lymphocytes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Collectively our data show that myelin phagocytosis leads to an altered macrophage function that inhibits lymphocyte proliferation. Additionally, results from this study indicate that myelin-phagocytosing macrophages fulfill a dual role <it>in vivo</it>. On one hand they aggravate autoimmunity by activating myelin-reactive lymphocytes and on the other hand they suppress lymphocyte reactivity by producing NO.</p>http://www.jneuroinflammation.com/content/8/1/85
spellingShingle Hellings Niels
Stinissen Piet
Bogie Jeroen FJ
Hendriks Jerome JA
Myelin-phagocytosing macrophages modulate autoreactive T cell proliferation
Journal of Neuroinflammation
title Myelin-phagocytosing macrophages modulate autoreactive T cell proliferation
title_full Myelin-phagocytosing macrophages modulate autoreactive T cell proliferation
title_fullStr Myelin-phagocytosing macrophages modulate autoreactive T cell proliferation
title_full_unstemmed Myelin-phagocytosing macrophages modulate autoreactive T cell proliferation
title_short Myelin-phagocytosing macrophages modulate autoreactive T cell proliferation
title_sort myelin phagocytosing macrophages modulate autoreactive t cell proliferation
url http://www.jneuroinflammation.com/content/8/1/85
work_keys_str_mv AT hellingsniels myelinphagocytosingmacrophagesmodulateautoreactivetcellproliferation
AT stinissenpiet myelinphagocytosingmacrophagesmodulateautoreactivetcellproliferation
AT bogiejeroenfj myelinphagocytosingmacrophagesmodulateautoreactivetcellproliferation
AT hendriksjeromeja myelinphagocytosingmacrophagesmodulateautoreactivetcellproliferation