The Wistar Kyoto (RT1(l)) rat is resistant to myelin basic protein-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: comparison with the susceptible Lewis (RT1(l)) strain with regard to the MBP-directed CD4+ T cell repertoire and its regulation

J Neuroimmunol. 2002 May;126(1-2):25-36. doi: 10.1016/s0165-5728(02)00045-0.

Abstract

Here, we demonstrate that the Wistar Kyoto (WKY/NHsd) rat, which bears the same RT1(l) haplotype as the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)-susceptible Lewis rat strain, is highly resistant to myelin basic protein (MBP)-induced EAE. No differences between Lewis and WKY strains were found in T cell proliferative specificity or the use of Vbeta8.2 T cell receptors in response to MBP. A Th2 cytokine bias correlated with WKY's EAE resistance. MBP challenge of WKY-into-Lewis adoptive transfer recipients produced a novel biepisodic EAE. The WKY strain should be useful in studies of many tissue-specific autoimmune diseases to which the Lewis rat is susceptible.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cell Division / immunology
  • Cytokines / analysis
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / immunology*
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology
  • Immunization
  • Male
  • Myelin Basic Protein / immunology*
  • Myelin Basic Protein / pharmacology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Lew
  • Rats, Inbred WKY
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / immunology
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Myelin Basic Protein
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta