Myelin Autoimmunity in T cells. Time to say schtop!. MS lesions are EBV killing zones

van Nierop GP, van Luijn MM, Michels SS, Melief MJ, Janssen M, Langerak AW, Ouwendijk WJD, Hintzen RQ, Verjans GMGM. Phenotypic and functional characterization of T cells in white matter lesions of multiple sclerosis patients.  Acta Neuropathol. 2017 doi: 10.1007/s00401-017-1744-4. [Epub ahead of print]

T cells are considered pivotal in the pathology of multiple sclerosis (MS), but their function and antigen specificity are unknown. To unravel the role of T cells in MS pathology, we performed a comprehensive analysis on T cells recovered from paired blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) and white matter lesions (WM L) from 27 MS patients with advanced disease shortly after death. The differentiation status of T cells in these compartments was determined by ex vivo flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry.

T-cell reactivity in short-term T-cell lines (TCL), generated by non-specific stimulation of T cells recovered from the same compartments, was determined by intracellular cytokine flow cytometry. Central memory T cells predominated in CSF and effector memory T cells were enriched in NAWM and WM Lesion. WM Lesion-derived CD8+ T cells represent chronically activated T cells expressing a cytotoxic effector phenotype (CD95L and granzyme B) indicative for local antigenic stimulation (CD137). The same lesions also contained higher CD8+ T-cell frequencies expressing co-inhibitory (TIM3 and PD1) and co-stimulatory (ICOS) T-cell receptors, yet no evidence for T-cell senescence (CD57) was observed.

The oligoclonal T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire, particularly among CD8+ T cells, correlated between TCL generated from anatomically separated WM Lesions of the same MS patient, but not between paired NAWM and WM Lesion. Whereas no substantial T-cell reactivity was detected towards seven candidate human MS-associated autoantigens (cMSAg), brisk CD8+ T-cell reactivity was detected in multiple WM Lesions-derived TCL towards autologous Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infected B cells (autoBLCL).

Collectively, the data suggest the involvement of effector memory cytotoxic T cells recognizing antigens expressed by autoBLCL, but not the assayed human cMSAg, in WML of MS patients.



What does this study suggest? 

Advanced Disease is associated with active inflammatory lesions, so maybe not too late for a DMT.

Is it time for the card-carrying  CD4 T cell immunologists to pack up their bags and work on a different condition.

Is it time to say no more CD4, Th17 immunology in lab mice.

There is no autoimmunity to myelin basic protein or myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, Kir 4.1 (potassium channel)

Cells in active lesions recognized Epstein Barr Virus, cells in normal appearing white matter did not.

You don't want your therapeutic drug to increase CD45RO, CCR7- effector memory cells..

The data suggests that CD8 T cells cause the active lesions or are associated with the active lesions and they are killing EBV infected B cells.

How does this fit with the B memory cell idea. It fits perfectly. 
If you get rid of the B memory cells you get rid of the EBV, so nothing to get the CD8 T cells going. It may suggest that blocking CD8 would stop the attack, but it wouldn't remove the problem.

This supports the approach developed by Prof Pender in Oz...
What ever happened to ProfGs hope to be involved with this?

Why MS?

It maybe has something to do with the formation of the B cell follicles creating a steady stream of CNS B cells ripe for attack, if you get follicles in the joint you get arthritis.

However do we find T cell reactivity to EBV because we are looking for reactivity to EBV

Nice study from our mates in the Netherlands

Labels: