Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory, autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. The cause of MS is still unknown but epidemiological and immunological studies have implicated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which infects B cells, as a possible etiological agent involved in disease. Of particular interest is EBV latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A) because previous studies have demonstrated that LMP2A enhances the expansion and differentiation of B cells upon antigen stimulation, revealing a potential contribution of this protein in autoimmunity. Since B cells are thought to contribute to MS, we examined the role of LMP2A in the animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). In this model, transgenic mice in which B cells express LMP2A show increased severity and incidence of disease. This difference was not due to lymphocyte recruitment into the CNS or differences in T cell activation, rather, we show that LMP2A enhances antigen presentation function.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Antigen Presentation / drug effects
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Antigen Presentation / immunology*
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B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
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B-Lymphocytes / metabolism
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Cell Proliferation / drug effects
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Cytokines / immunology
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Cytokines / metabolism
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Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / genetics
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Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / immunology*
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Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / pathology
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Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
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Female
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Flow Cytometry
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Humans
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Immunoglobulin G / immunology
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Immunoglobulin G / metabolism
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Lymphocyte Activation / drug effects
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Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
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Male
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Mice, Transgenic
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein / genetics
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Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein / immunology
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Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein / pharmacology
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Peptide Fragments / genetics
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Peptide Fragments / immunology
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Peptide Fragments / pharmacology
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Severity of Illness Index
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T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
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T-Lymphocytes / immunology
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T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
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Viral Matrix Proteins / genetics
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Viral Matrix Proteins / immunology*
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Viral Matrix Proteins / metabolism
Substances
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Cytokines
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EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus
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Immunoglobulin G
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Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein
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Peptide Fragments
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Viral Matrix Proteins
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myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (35-55)