Cell Immunol 2001 Aug 25;212(1):44-50
Burns JB, Bartholomew BD, Lobo ST.
Department of Neurology, Neurovirology
Research 151B, V.A. Medical Center, University of Utah, 500 Foothill Drive,
Salt Lake City, Utah, 84148
Previous studies provide evidence for in vivo activation of MBP-reactive T cells in subjects with multiple sclerosis.
In general, in vivo activation occurs less frequently in healthy control subjects.
In the current study we examined the T cell response to proteolipid protein in PBMC isolated from 9 control subjects.
We used CD45 isotypes as markers for memory and naive T cells to assess in vivo activation of CD4(+) T cells reactive with PLP.
In contrast to the results obtained using MBP, we found that approximately 50% of PLP-reactive T cells were derived from the CD45RO(+) memory subpopulation of T cells isolated from these control subjects.
These results indicate that some myelin-reactive T cells have undergone activation in vivo in neurologically intact individuals.
This suggests that immunoregulatory
mechanisms may be present that prevent overt disease in spite of in vivo
activation of PLP-reactive T cells.
PMID: 11716528 [PubMed - in process]
(c) 2001 Elsevier Science