HLA-DQ6 (DQB1*0601)Restricted T Cells Protect against Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in HLA-DR3.DQ6 Double-Transgenic Mice by Generating Anti-Inflammatory IFN1 (original) (raw)

Role of HLA class II genes in susceptibility and resistance to multiple sclerosis: Studies using HLA transgenic mice

Journal of Autoimmunity, 2011

Multiple sclerosis (MS), an inflammatory and demyelinating autoimmune disease of CNS has both, a genetic and an environmental predisposition. Among all the genetic factors associated with MS susceptibility, HLA-class II haplotypes such as DR2/DQ6, DR3/DQ2, and DR4/DQ8 show the strongest association. Although a direct role of HLA-DR alleles in MS have been confirmed, it has been difficult to understand the contribution of HLA-DQ alleles in disease pathogenesis, due to strong linkage disequilibrium. Population studies have indicated that DQ alleles may play a modulatory role in the progression of MS. To better understand the mechanism by which HLA-DR and -DQ genes contribute to susceptibility and resistance to MS, we utilized single and double transgenic mice expressing HLA class II gene(s) lacking endogenous mouse class II genes. HLA class II transgenic mice have helped us in identifying immunodominant epitopes of PLP in context of various HLA-DR and -DQ molecules. We have shown that HLA-DR3 transgenic mice were susceptible to PLP 91-110 induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), while DQ6 (DQB1*0601) and DQ8 (DQB1*0302) transgenic mice were resistant. Surprisingly DQ6/DR3 double transgenic mice were resistant while DQ8/DR3 mice showed higher disease incidence and severity than DR3 mice. The protective effect of DQ6 in DQ6/DR3 mice was mediated by IFNγ, while the disease exacerbating effect of DQ8 molecule was mediated by IL17. Further, we have observed that myelin-specific antibodies play an important role in PLP 91-110 induced EAE in HLA-DR3DQ8 transgenic mice. Based on these observations, we hypothesize that epistatic interaction between HLA-DR and -DQ genes play an important role in predisposition to MS and our HLA transgenic mouse model provides a novel tool to study the effect of linkage disequilibrium in MS.

Complementation between specific HLA-DR and HLA-DQ genes in transgenic mice determines susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Human Immunology, 2000

To investigate the contribution of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II molecules in susceptibility to inflammatory demyelination, we induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in transgenic (tg) mice expressing the HLA-DR3, HLA-DQ8 and HLA-DQ6 molecules in the absence of endogenous class II (Ab(o)). Following immunization with mouse myelin, HLA-DR3 tg mice mounted strong T-cell proliferative responses, and developed inflammatory lesions and demyelination in the central nervous system with mild to moderate clinical symptoms of EAE. HLA-DQ8 and HLA-DQ6 tg mice elicited weak T-cell proliferative responses and did not develop clinical symptoms of EAE. HLA-DR3/DQ6 double tg mice immunized with mouse myelin experienced clinical disease similar to the single tg HLA-DR3 tg mice, indicating that expression of DQ6 in this line had no effect on disease. In contrast, HLA-DR3/DQ8 double tg mice developed severe inflammatory lesions and clinical disease in response to immunization with mouse myelin. Our data suggest that in the presence of two susceptible class II alleles, namely HLA-DR3 and DQ8, there is additional selection and expansion of potential autoreactive T cells, resulting in enhanced severity of disease.

Myelin Basic Protein-Specific TCR/HLA-DRB5*01:01 Transgenic Mice Support the Etiologic Role of DRB5*01:01 in Multiple Sclerosis

The Journal of Immunology, 2012

Genetic susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS) has been linked to the HLA-DR15 haplotype consisting of DRB1*15:01(DR2b) and DRB5*01:01(DR2a) alleles. Given almost complete linkage disequilibrium of the two alleles, recent studies suggested differential roles in susceptibility (DR2b) or protection from MS (DR2a). Our objective was to assess the potential contribution of DR2a to disease etiology in MS using a humanized model of autoimmunity. To assess the potential contribution of DR2a to disease etiology, we created DR2a humanized transgenic (Tg) mice and subsequently crossed them to Tg mice expressing TL3A6, an MS patient-derived myelin basic protein 83-99-specific TCR. In TL3A6/DR2a Tg mice, CD4 Tg T cells escape thymic and peripheral deletion and initiate spontaneous experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) at low rates, depending on the level of DR2a expression. The ability to induce active EAE was also increased in animals expressing higher levels of DR2a. Inflammatory infiltrates and neuronal damage were present throughout the spinal cord, consistent with a classical ascending EAE phenotype with minor involvement of the cerebellum, brainstem, and peripheral nerve roots in spontaneous, as well as actively induced, disease. These studies emphasize the pathologic contribution of the DR2a allele to the development of autoimmunity when expressed as the sole MHC class II molecule, as well as strongly argue for DR2a as a contributor to the CNS autoimmunity in MS.

HLA class II transgenic mice authenticate restriction of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-specific immune response implicated in multiple sclerosis pathogenesis

International Immunology, 2003

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is a potential target antigen of the central nervous system (CNS), known to induce autoreactive T cell response and demyelinating anti-MOG antibodies in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Association of HLA class II genes with MS is well established. To better understand the role of HLA class II molecules in disease pathogenesis, we generated transgenic mice that express HLA-DR2, -DR3, -DR4, -DQB1*0601, -DQB1*0604 and -DQ8 without mouse class II (Ab 0 ). We have for the ®rst time characterized the T and B cell epitopes of human MOG restricted by different HLA class II molecules. Immunization with recombinant MOG (rMOG) generated a strong CD4 + T cell-mediated response in an HLA class II-restricted manner. Cytokine analysis revealed an increase in pro-in¯ammatory (IFN-g, IL-12 and IL-6) and anti-in¯ammatory (IL-10) cytokines. T cell autoreactivity to MOG was directed against peptides 1±20, 31±50, 61±80 and 91±110, of which three are also immunodominant epitopes for MOG in MS. A strong B cell response to MOG was observed in all transgenic mice, and major B cell epitopes recognized were located within amino acids 1±30, 51±80 and 101±120 of human MOG, which consists of two epitopes reported in MS. Transgenic mice used in this study recognized the immunodominant MOG epitopes similar to HLA class II-restricted human T cells, and would therefore be valuable in elucidating the roles of HLA class II genes and autoantigens in MS.

HLA-DQ6 (DQB1*0601)-restricted T cells protect against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in HLA-DR3.DQ6 double-transgenic mice by generating anti-inflammatory IFN-gamma

Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 2008

The human MHC class II genes are associated with genetic susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the CNS of presumed autoimmune origin. These genes encode for proteins responsible for shaping immune response. The exact role of HLA-DQ and -DR genes in disease pathogenesis is not well-understood due to the high polymorphism, linkage disequilibrium, and heterogeneity of human populations. The advent of HLA class II-transgenic (Tg) mice has helped in answering some of these questions. Previously, using single-Tg mice (expressing the HLA-DR or -DQ gene), we showed that proteolipid protein (PLP)(91-110) peptide induced classical experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis only in DR3.Abeta degrees mice, suggesting that DR3 (DRB1*0301) is a disease susceptible gene in the context of PLP. Human population studies have suggested that HLA-DQ6 (DQB1*0601) may be a protective gene in MS. To test this disease protection in an experimental model, w...

DQB1*06:02-Associated Pathogenic Anti-Myelin Autoimmunity in Multiple Sclerosis-Like Disease: Potential Function of DQB1*06:02 as a Disease-Predisposing Allele

Frontiers in Oncology, 2014

Susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS) has been linked mainly to the HLA-DRB1 locus, with the HLA-DR15 haplotype (DRB1*1501-DQA1*0102-DQB1*0602-DRB5*0101) dominating MS risk in Caucasians. Although genes in the HLA-II region, particularly DRB1*1501, DQA1*0102-DQB1*0602, are in tight linkage disequilibrium, genome-wide-association, and gene candidate studies identified the DRB1*15:01 allele as the primary risk factor in MS. Many genetic and immune-functional studies have indicated DRB1*15:01 as a primary risk factor in MS, while only some functional studies suggested a diseasemodifying role for the DRB5*01 or DQB1*06 alleles. In this respect, the susceptibility of DRB1*15:01-transgenic (Tg) mice to myelin basic protein-or myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-induced MS-like disease is consistent with primary contribution of DRB1*15:01 to HLA-DR15+ MS. The studies summarized here show that susceptibility to MS-like disease, induced in HLA-"humanized" mice by myelin oligodendrocytic basic protein or by the proteolipid protein, one of the most prominent encephalitogenic target antigens implicated in human MS, is determined by DQB1*06:02, rather than by the DRB1*15:01 allele. These findings not only offer a rationale for a potential role for DQB1*06:02 in predisposing susceptibility to MS, but also suggest a more complex and differential functional role for HLA-DR15 alleles, depending on the primary target myelin antigen. However, the conflict between these findings in HLA-Tg mice and the extensive genome-wide-association studies, which could not detect any significant effect from the DQB1*06:02 allele on MS risk, is rather puzzling. Functional analysis of MS PBLs for DQB1*06:02-associated anti-myelin autoimmunity may indicate whether or not DQB1*06:02 is associated with MS pathogenesis.