Factors that regulate leukocyte entry and spread through CNS parenchyma during different types of CNS insults are incompletely understood. Reactive astrocytes have been implicated in restricting the spread of leukocytes from damaged into healthy parenchyma during the acute and local innate inflammatory events that follow CNS trauma, but the roles of reactive astrocytes during the chronic and widespread CNS inflammation associated with adaptive or acquired immune responses are uncertain. Here, we investigated the effects of transgenically targeted ablation of proliferating, scar-forming reactive astrocytes on the acquired immune inflammation associated with experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE). In wild-type mice with EAE, we found that reactive astrocytes densely surrounded perivascular clusters of leukocytes in a manner reminiscent of astrocyte scar formation after CNS trauma. Transgenically targeted ablation of proliferating astrocytes disrupted formation of these perivascular scars and was associated with a pronounced and significant increase in leukocyte entry into CNS parenchyma, including immunohistochemically identified macrophages, T lymphocytes and neutrophils. This exacerbated inflammation was associated with a substantially more severe and rapidly fulminant clinical course. These findings provide experimental evidence that reactive astrocytes form scar-like perivascular barriers that restrict the influx of leukocytes into CNS parenchyma and protect CNS function during peripherally initiated, acquired immune inflammatory responses in the CNS. The findings suggest that loss or disruption of astrocyte functions may underlie or exacerbate the inflammation and pathologies associated with autoimmune diseases of the CNS, including multiple sclerosis.

Treatment with either estradiol or an estrogen receptor (ER)␣ ligand has been shown to be both antiinflammatory and neuroprotective in a variety of neurological disease models, but whether neuroprotective effects could be observed in the absence of an antiinflammatory effect has remained unknown. Here, we have contrasted effects of treatment with an ER␣ vs. an ER␤ ligand in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, the multiple sclerosis model with a known pathogenic role for both inflammation and neurodegeneration. Clinically, ER␣ ligand treatment abrogated disease at the onset and throughout the disease course. In contrast, ER␤ ligand treatment had no effect at disease onset but promoted recovery during the chronic phase of the disease. ER␣ ligand treatment was antiinflammatory in the systemic immune system, whereas ER␤ ligand treatment was not. Also, ER␣ ligand treatment reduced CNS inflammation, whereas ER␤ ligand treatment did not. Interestingly, treatment with either the ER␣ or the ER␤ ligand was neuroprotective, as evidenced by reduced demyelination and preservation of axon numbers in white matter, as well as decreased neuronal abnormalities in gray matter. Thus, by using the ER␤ selective ligand, we have dissociated the antiinflammatory effect from the neuroprotective effect of estrogen treatment and have shown that neuroprotective effects of estrogen treatment do not necessarily depend on antiinflammatory properties. Together, these findings suggest that ER␤ ligand treatment should be explored as a potential neuroprotective strategy in multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases, particularly because estrogen-related toxicities such as breast and uterine cancer are mediated through ER␣.experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis ͉ neuroprotection ͉ multiple sclerosis selective estrogen receptor modulators

Abbreviations used: CNS, central nervous system; EAE, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis; LNC, LN cell; MOG, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein; PLP, proteolipid protein.The online version of this article contains supplemental material. Most autoimmune diseases are more common in women than in men. This may be caused by differences in sex hormones, sex chromosomes, or both. In this study, we determined if there was a contribution of sex chromosomes to sex differences in susceptibility to two immunologically distinct disease models, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and pristane-induced lupus. Transgenic SJL mice were created to permit a comparison between XX and XY within a common gonadal type. Mice of the XX sex chromosome complement, as compared with XY, demonstrated greater susceptibility to both EAE and lupus. This is the fi rst evidence that the XX sex chromosome complement, as compared with XY, confers greater susceptibility to autoimmune disease.

In voltage-dependent Shaker K+ channels, charged residues E293 in transmembrane segment S2 and R365, R368, and R371 in S4 contribute significantly to the gating charge movement that accompanies activation. Using an intragenic suppression strategy, we have now probed for structural interaction between transmembrane segments S2, S3, and S4 in Shaker channels. Charge reversal mutations of E283 in S2 and K374 in S4 disrupt maturation of the protein. Maturation was specifically and efficiently rescued by second-site charge reversal mutations, indicating that electrostatic interactions exist between E283 in S2 and R368 and R371 in S4, and between K374 in S4 and E293 in S2 and D316 in S3. Rescued subunits were incorporated into functional channels, demonstrating that a native structure was restored. Our data indicate that K374 interacts with E293 and D316 within the same subunit. These electrostatic interactions mediate the proper folding of the protein and are likely to persist in the native structure. Our results raise the possibility that the S4 segment is tilted relative to S2 and S3 in the voltage-sensing domain of Shaker channels. Such an arrangement might provide solvent access to voltage-sensing residues, which we find to be highly tolerant of mutations.

Over half of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients experience cognitive deficits, including learning and memory dysfunction, and the mechanisms underlying these deficits remain poorly understood. Neuronal injury and synaptic loss have been shown to occur within the hippocampus in other neurodegenerative disease models, and these pathologies have been correlated with cognitive impairment. Whether hippocampal abnormalities occur in MS models is unknown. Using experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), we evaluated hippocampal neurodegeneration and inflammation during disease. Hippocampal pathology began early in EAE disease course, and included decreases in CA1 pyramidal layer volume, loss of inhibitory interneurons and increased cell death of neurons and glia. It is interesting to note that these effects occurred in the presence of chronic microglial activation, with a relative paucity of infiltrating blood-borne immune cells. Widespread diffuse demyelination occurred in the hippocampus, but there was no significant decrease in axonal density. Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in pre-synaptic puncta and synaptic protein expression within the hippocampus, as well as impaired performance on a hippocampal-dependent spatial learning task. Our results demonstrate that neurodegenerative changes occur in the hippocampus during autoimmune-mediated demyelinating disease. This work establishes a preclinical model for assessing treatments targeted toward preventing hippocampal neuropathology and dysfunction in MS.