Graft-vs.-host disease elicits expression of class I and class II histocompatibility antigens and the presence of scattered T lymphocytes in rat central nervous system.

Abstract

In the central nervous system (CNS) of healthy animals, T Iymphocytes and cellular expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene products are virtually undetectable. Yet, in CNS immunological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis in humans, these constituents of the immune response must appear by some mechanism. Immunohistochemdcal examination of the CNS of F1 hybrid rats following induction of graft-vs.-host disease by parental lymphocytes revealed extensive parenchymal and vascular expression of host class I and II (Ia) MHC-encoded cell surface molecules. In addition, occasional scattered T lymphocytes were detected in the CNS of these animals. F1 hybrid rats reconstituted during the neonatal period with bone marrow cells from one parental strain also expressed increased levels of MHC antigens in the CNS. Thus, evidence is presented that the "immunological privilege" of the CNS seems to decrease or disappear during a strong systemic immune response such as graft-vs.-host disease. These findings may have important implications concerning the mechanism of induction of human CNS immunological diseases.

Central nervous system graft-versus-host disease: report of two cases and literature review

“…Animal studies 12,13 based on the expression of myosin heavy chain molecules in the CNS support the possibility of brain being a target for the development of GVHD. CNS-GVHD has also been reported in autopsy reports.…”

T-Cell–Mediated Inflammatory Activity in the Stellate Ganglia of Patients With Ion-Channel Disease and Severe Ventricular Arrhythmias

“…29 The recruitment of CD8+ CTLs may be because of the aberrant expression of HLA-DR by ganglion cells, but also immune reaction itself can induce MHC class II antigen expression in the nervous system. 30 The most frequently proposed theories suggest either a viral 31 and autoimmune pathogenesis, but also paraneoplastic, toxic, or neurological disorders may underlie the onset of an inflammatory process in the ganglia via neurotransmitters, growth factors, and cytokines.…”

Immunobiology of the blood-brain barrier

“…Lymphocyte traf®cking across the BBB Under normal conditions, there are minimal numbers of lymphocytes detected within the CNS (Hauser et al, 1983;Hickey et al, 1991;Hickey and Kimura, 1987). This is the result of reduced penetration of lymphocytes across the BMVEC and the low levels of major histocompatibility complex expression in the normal CNS (Wong et al, 1984).…”