The antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin drives development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice by affecting Th17 differentiation.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a highly prevalent demyelinating autoimmune condition; the mechanisms regulating its severity and progression are unclear. The IL-17-producing Th17 subset of T cells has been widely implicated in MS and in the mouse model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). H...

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Main Authors: Katie J Smith, Danielle Minns, Brian J McHugh, Rebecca K Holloway, Richard O'Connor, Anna Williams, Lauren Melrose, Rhoanne McPherson, Veronique E Miron, Donald J Davidson, Emily Gwyer Findlay
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022-08-01
Series:PLoS Biology
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001554&type=printable
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author Katie J Smith
Danielle Minns
Brian J McHugh
Rebecca K Holloway
Richard O'Connor
Anna Williams
Lauren Melrose
Rhoanne McPherson
Veronique E Miron
Donald J Davidson
Emily Gwyer Findlay
author_facet Katie J Smith
Danielle Minns
Brian J McHugh
Rebecca K Holloway
Richard O'Connor
Anna Williams
Lauren Melrose
Rhoanne McPherson
Veronique E Miron
Donald J Davidson
Emily Gwyer Findlay
author_sort Katie J Smith
collection DOAJ
description Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a highly prevalent demyelinating autoimmune condition; the mechanisms regulating its severity and progression are unclear. The IL-17-producing Th17 subset of T cells has been widely implicated in MS and in the mouse model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). However, the differentiation and regulation of Th17 cells during EAE remain incompletely understood. Although evidence is mounting that the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin profoundly affects early T cell differentiation, no studies have looked at its role in longer-term T cell responses. Now, we report that cathelicidin drives severe EAE disease. It is released from neutrophils, microglia, and endothelial cells throughout disease; its interaction with T cells potentiates Th17 differentiation in lymph nodes and Th17 to exTh17 plasticity and IFN-γ production in the spinal cord. As a consequence, mice lacking cathelicidin are protected from severe EAE. In addition, we show that cathelicidin is produced by the same cell types in the active brain lesions in human MS disease. We propose that cathelicidin exposure results in highly activated, cytokine-producing T cells, which drive autoimmunity; this is a mechanism through which neutrophils amplify inflammation in the central nervous system.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2022-08-01
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spelling doaj-art-6092c03798ea4893825a68dc61de53132025-08-20T03:44:43ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Biology1544-91731545-78852022-08-01208e300155410.1371/journal.pbio.3001554The antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin drives development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice by affecting Th17 differentiation.Katie J SmithDanielle MinnsBrian J McHughRebecca K HollowayRichard O'ConnorAnna WilliamsLauren MelroseRhoanne McPhersonVeronique E MironDonald J DavidsonEmily Gwyer FindlayMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a highly prevalent demyelinating autoimmune condition; the mechanisms regulating its severity and progression are unclear. The IL-17-producing Th17 subset of T cells has been widely implicated in MS and in the mouse model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). However, the differentiation and regulation of Th17 cells during EAE remain incompletely understood. Although evidence is mounting that the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin profoundly affects early T cell differentiation, no studies have looked at its role in longer-term T cell responses. Now, we report that cathelicidin drives severe EAE disease. It is released from neutrophils, microglia, and endothelial cells throughout disease; its interaction with T cells potentiates Th17 differentiation in lymph nodes and Th17 to exTh17 plasticity and IFN-γ production in the spinal cord. As a consequence, mice lacking cathelicidin are protected from severe EAE. In addition, we show that cathelicidin is produced by the same cell types in the active brain lesions in human MS disease. We propose that cathelicidin exposure results in highly activated, cytokine-producing T cells, which drive autoimmunity; this is a mechanism through which neutrophils amplify inflammation in the central nervous system.https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001554&type=printable
spellingShingle Katie J Smith
Danielle Minns
Brian J McHugh
Rebecca K Holloway
Richard O'Connor
Anna Williams
Lauren Melrose
Rhoanne McPherson
Veronique E Miron
Donald J Davidson
Emily Gwyer Findlay
The antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin drives development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice by affecting Th17 differentiation.
PLoS Biology
title The antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin drives development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice by affecting Th17 differentiation.
title_full The antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin drives development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice by affecting Th17 differentiation.
title_fullStr The antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin drives development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice by affecting Th17 differentiation.
title_full_unstemmed The antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin drives development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice by affecting Th17 differentiation.
title_short The antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin drives development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice by affecting Th17 differentiation.
title_sort antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin drives development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice by affecting th17 differentiation
url https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001554&type=printable
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