Mice with a disrupted IFN-gamma gene are susceptible to the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).

IA Ferber, S Brocke, C Taylor-Edwards… - … (Baltimore, Md.: 1950 …, 1996 - journals.aai.org
IA Ferber, S Brocke, C Taylor-Edwards, W Ridgway, C Dinisco, L Steinman, D Dalton…
Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md.: 1950), 1996journals.aai.org
Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for multiple sclerosis,
is an autoimmune disorder seen in mice and rats following immunization with myelin basic
protein (MBP) or MBP-derived peptides. IFN-gamma, a cytokine produced by a variety of
cells, is involved in many inflammatory and immune regulatory events. Contradictory results
concerning exacerbations and the disease course were seen comparing injections of IFN-
gamma in humans suffering from multiple sclerosis to studies using anti-IFN-gamma Abs in …
Abstract
Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for multiple sclerosis, is an autoimmune disorder seen in mice and rats following immunization with myelin basic protein (MBP) or MBP-derived peptides. IFN-gamma, a cytokine produced by a variety of cells, is involved in many inflammatory and immune regulatory events. Contradictory results concerning exacerbations and the disease course were seen comparing injections of IFN-gamma in humans suffering from multiple sclerosis to studies using anti-IFN-gamma Abs in mice with EAE. To study the role of IFN-gamma and IFN-gamma-producing cells in EAE, we crossed IFN-gamma knockout mice (H-2b) (unable to produce IFN-gamma due to the disruption of the IFN-gamma gene) with an EAE-susceptible mouse strain, B10.PL (H-2u). EAE was seen in IFN-gamma knockout mice, heterozygotic (IFN-gamma +/-) mice, as well as wild-type littermates following immunization with MBP. Histologic analyses of the central nervous system of IFN-gamma knockout mice with EAE revealed massive infiltrates composed of lymphocytes, macrophages, and granulocytes. We conclude that the presence of IFN-gamma is not crucial to the induction or the clinical course of EAE.
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