Background Anti-viral CD8 T-cell activity is enhanced and prolonged by CD4 T-cell-mediated help, but negatively regulated by inhibitory B7-H1 interactions. During viral encephalomyelitis, the absence of CD4 T cells decreases CD8 T cell activity and impedes viral control in the central nervous system (CNS). By contrast, the absence of B7-H1 enhances CD8 T-cell function and accelerates viral control, but increases morbidity. However, the relative contribution of CD4 T cells to CD8 function in the CNS, in the absence of B7-H1, remains unclear. Methods Wild-type (WT) and B7-H1 −/− mice were infected with a gliatropic coronavirus and CD4 T cells depleted to specifically block T helper function in the CNS. Flow cytometry and gene expression analysis of purified T-cell populations from lymph nodes and the CNS was used to directly monitor ex vivo T-cell effector function. The biological affects of altered T-cell responses were evaluated by analysis of viral control and spinal-cord pathology. Results Increased anti-viral activity by CD8 T cells in the CNS of B7-H1 −/− mice was lost upon depletion of CD4 T cells; however, despite concomitant loss of viral control, the clinical disease was less severe. CD4 depletion in B7-H1 −/− mice also decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase expression by microglia and macrophages, consistent with decreased microglia/macrophage activation and reduced interferon (IFN)-γ. Enhanced production of IFN-γ, interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-21 mRNA was seen in CD4 T cells from infected B7-H1 −/− compared with WT mice, suggesting that over-activated CD4 T cells primarily contribute to the increased pathology. Conclusions The local requirement of CD4 T-cell help for CD8 T-cell function is not overcome if B7-H1 inhibitory signals are lost. Moreover, the increased effector activity by CD8 T cells in the CNS of B7-H1 −/− mice is attributable not only to the absence of B7-H1 upregulation on major histocompatibility complex class I-presenting resident target cells, but also to enhanced local CD4 T-cell function. B7-H1-mediated restraint of CD4 T-cell activity is thus crucial to dampen both CD8 T-cell function and microglia/macrophage activation, thereby providing protection from T-cell-mediated bystander damage.
【저자키워드】 Inflammation, Central nervous system, Encephalomyelitis, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, Gliatropic coronavirus, Axonal damage, 【초록키워드】 pathology, coronavirus, macrophages, nitric oxide, T-cell Response, interferon, Local, CD4, CD8, Population, Anti-viral, mice, mRNA, Gene expression analysis, morbidity, Central nervous system, T-cell, microglia, anti-viral activity, CNS, expression, interactions, IFN-γ, IL-21, Analysis, CD8 T cell, Cytometry, Lymph node, Flow, CD4 T cell, target cells, Ex vivo, bystander, T helper, Activation, help, upregulation, viral control, clinical disease, MONITOR, inhibitory, enhanced, Affect, Infected, decrease, CD4 T-cell, ENhance, compared, Result, was used, were infected, evaluated, reduced, increase, less, contribute, absence, overcome, regulated, purified, accelerate, Increased, histocompatibility complex, inhibitory signal, CD8 T-cell, impede,