Project 3. The Role of IL-23 in CNS Inflammatory DemyelinaUon. We have shown that antibodies against the p40 subunit of interleukin-12 (IL-12) prevent spontaneous and superantigen-induced relapses of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Conversely, IL-12 enhanced the severity of relapses in this model. IL-23 is an IL-12-related cytokine which shares the p40 subunit with IL-12 and has recently been shown to be critical for susceptibility to EAE, whereas IL-12 is dispensable. Although the role of IL-23 in EAE susceptibility has recently been established, no studies have addressed the involvement of IL-23 in the pathogenesis of EAE relapse. We hypothesize that: 1) IL-23 is required for the induction of EAE relapse and for T-cell epitope spreading 2) IL-12Rbeta2 regulates the induction of EAE relapse; and 3) the IL-23 and IL-12-associated Jak/Stat system is the dominant signal transduction pathway in the pathogenesis of EAE relapse. To test these hypotheses, we propose the following Specific Aims: 1) to differentiate the role of IL-23 and IL-12 in the pathogenesis of EAE relapse. 2) to determine the role of the Il-12Rbeta2 chain in the pathogenesis of EAE relapse. 3) to study the role of IL-23 and IL-12-associated signal transduction pathways in the pathogenesis of EAE susceptibility and relapse. These studies should elucidate the role of IL-12/IL-23 in the pathogenesis of CNS demyelination and relapse in EAE and may pave the way for better understanding of the immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI061818-05
Application #
7409656
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAI1-CL-I (M2))
Program Officer
Esch, Thomas R
Project Start
2004-05-01
Project End
2010-04-30
Budget Start
2008-05-01
Budget End
2010-04-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2008
Total Cost
$365,089
Indirect Cost
Name
Thomas Jefferson University
Department
Neurology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
053284659
City
Philadelphia
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
19107
Gran, B; Yu, S; Zhang, G X et al. (2010) Accelerated thymocyte maturation in IL-12R?2-deficient mice contributes to increased susceptibility to autoimmune inflammatory demyelination. Exp Mol Pathol 89:126-34
Fitzgerald, Denise C; Rostami, Abdolmohamad (2009) Therapeutic potential of IL-27 in multiple sclerosis? Expert Opin Biol Ther 9:149-60
Fitzgerald, Denise C; Zhang, Guang-Xian; El-Behi, Mohamed et al. (2007) Suppression of autoimmune inflammation of the central nervous system by interleukin 10 secreted by interleukin 27-stimulated T cells. Nat Immunol 8:1372-9