Cellular mRNA expression of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), IL-4 and IL-10 relates to resistance to experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) in young Lewis rats

Clinical and Experimental Immunology
F D ShiHans Link

Abstract

Age-related alterations in the immune system, including changes in lymphocyte subset composition, result in changes of cytokine patterns and might thereby influence the incidence and severity of autoimmune diseases. To investigate the age-related resistance to EAMG, an animal model for human MG, young (4-week-old) and adult (8-10-week-old) female Lewis rats were immunized with Torpedo acetylcholine receptor (AChR) and Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA). Adult Lewis rats showed severe weight loss and progressive muscular weakness after immunization, while young rats developed minor clinical signs of EAMG after a prolonged interval post-immunization. By comparison with adult rats, the young had lower AChR-specific T and B cells responses, and less muscle AChR loss. In situ hybridization performed on mononuclear cells (MNC) from lymph nodes revealed that young rats had lower levels of AChR-specific IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA-expressing cells compared with adult rats. Since IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-10 promote the development of EAMG, the low expression of these cytokines might contribute to EAMG resistance in young Lewis rats.

Citations

May 29, 2000·Immunology Today·A SaoudiM De Baets
Apr 28, 2009·Clinical Immunology : the Official Journal of the Clinical Immunology Society·Sabrina ShandleyKeith Krolick
Aug 30, 2006·Clinical Immunology : the Official Journal of the Clinical Immunology Society·Keith A Krolick
Jan 19, 2000·Clinical Immunology : the Official Journal of the Clinical Immunology Society·T Stegall, K A Krolick
Sep 1, 2007·Journal of Clinical Neurology·Hyun Sook KimYoung-Chul Choi
Jan 19, 2000·Clinical Immunology : the Official Journal of the Clinical Immunology Society·S M Reyes-Reyna, K A Krolick

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