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CD4 T-cell-mediated demyelination is increased in the absence of gamma interferon in mice infected with mouse hepatitis virus.

Mice infected with the murine coronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus, strain JHM (MHV) develop an immune-mediated demyelinating encephalomyelitis. Adoptive transfer of MHV-immune splenocytes depleted of either CD4 or CD8 T cells to infected mice deficient in recombination activation gene 1 resulted in demyelination. We showed previously that the process of CD8 T-cell-mediated demyelination was strongly dependent on the expression of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) by donor cells. In this report, we show, in contrast, that demyelination and lymphocyte infiltration were increased in recipients of IFN-gamma(-/-) CD4 T cells when compared to levels in mice receiving C57BL/6 CD4 T cells.

Adoptive Transfer↗

Critical role for protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 in controlling infection of central nervous system glia and demyelination by Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus.

We previously characterized the expression and function of the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 in the glia of the central nervous system (CNS). In the present study, we describe the role of SHP-1 in virus infection of glia and virus-induced demyelination in the CNS. For in vivo studies, SHP-1-deficient mice and their normal littermates received an intracerebral inoculation of an attenuated strain of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV). At various times after infection, virus replication, TMEV antigen expression, and demyelination were monitored. It was found that the CNS of SHP-1-deficient mice uniquely displayed demyelination and contained substantially higher levels of virus than did that of normal littermate mice. Many infected astrocytes and oligodendrocytes were detected in both brains and spinal cords of SHP-1-deficient but not normal littermate mice, showing that the virus replicated and spread at a much higher rate in the glia of SHP-1-deficient animals. To ascertain whether the lack of SHP-1 in the glia was primarily responsible for these differences, glial samples from these mice were cultured in vitro and infected with TMEV. As in vivo, infected astrocytes and oligodendrocytes of SHP-1-deficient mice were much more numerous and produced more virus than did those of normal littermate mice. These findings indicate that SHP-1 is a critical factor in controlling virus replication in the CNS glia and virus-induced demyelination.

Animals↗

Transgenic mouse model for central nervous system demyelination.

A common feature of demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis in humans and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in rodents is the marked elevation in the expression of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens in the involved sites. By specific targeting of a syngeneic MHC class I gene to oligodendrocytes, we have generated transgenic mice which not only exhibit severe involuntary tremors and develop tonic seizures but also show extensive demyelination in both the brain and the spinal cord. The fact that demyelination in these mice occurs in the absence of immune infiltration dismisses an autoimmune involvement but suggests that the MHC class I antigens play a direct role in inducing disease. Our findings lend support to the possibility that demyelinating diseases are induced by infectious agents such as viruses which can either directly activate MHC gene expression in oligodendroglia or indirectly activate expression through the release by reactive T cells of gamma interferon in the brain.

Animals↗

Demyelinating diseases.

A diagnosis of demyelination carries important therapeutic and prognostic implications. In most cases the diagnosis is made clinically, and involvement of the histopathologist is largely confined to postmortem confirmation and clinicopathological correlation. However, every now and then, accurate diagnosis of the presence or cause of demyelination before death hinges on the histopathological assessment. Recognition of demyelination depends on an awareness of this as a diagnostic possibility, and on the use of appropriate tinctorial and immunohistochemical stains to identify myelin, axons and inflammatory cells. In biopsy specimens, the critical distinction is usually from ischaemic or neoplastic disease, and the types of demyelinating disease most likely to be encountered are multiple sclerosis, acute-disseminated encephalomyelitis, progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy and extrapontine myelinolysis. Interpretation of the pathology has to be made in the context of the clinical, radiological and biochemical findings. Freezing of a small amount of fresh tissue allows for later virological studies, and electron microscopy is occasionally helpful for demonstration of viral particles.

Biopsy↗

Pure motor demyelinating neuropathy: deterioration after steroid treatment and improvement with intravenous immunoglobulin.

Within one month of starting oral prednisolone treatment weakness unexpectedly increased in four patients aged 34 to 75 years with purely motor forms of acquired chronic demyelinating neuropathy. By contrast, steroids produced the expected improvement in 11 other patients with symmetric sensorimotor chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Two of the patients with purely motor demyelinating neuropathy were subsequently treated with high dose IVIg (0.4 g/kg/day for five days) with prompt improvements in strength measurements and motor nerve conduction. Thus IVIg seems to be the treatment of choice and steroids should be used with extreme caution, if at all, in patients with purely motor forms of acquired demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Adolescent↗

Promotion of remyelination by polyclonal immunoglobulin in Theiler's virus-induced demyelination and in multiple sclerosis.

Spontaneous remyelination occurs in experimental models of demyelination and in patients with multiple sclerosis, although to a limited extent. This enables the search for factors that promote remyelination. Using the Theiler's virus model of central nervous system demyelination, promotion of remyelination was observed after passive transfer of CNS-specific antiserum and transfer of CNS-specific purified immunoglobulin. Mouse polyclonal immunoglobulin from normal non-syngeneic mice, comparable with the human immunoglobulin preparation, also promotes CNS remyelination in the Theiler's virus model of multiple sclerosis. These experimental findings further bridge the gap with a pilot study that suggests clinical improvement after polyclonal immunoglobulin administration, possibly due to remyelination, in some multiple sclerosis patients with stable, steroid-unresponsive optic neuritis. In view of these experimental and clinical data, the physiological role of myelin in demyelination and remyelination is discussed, and the role of IgG solely as a deleterious molecule in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis and experimental demyelination is addressed.

Animals↗

Inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculitis in a patient with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM).

A patient with severe acute disseminated encephalomyelitis died 12 days after the first symptom. Necropsy showed widespread severe demyelination in the CNS and some foci of demyelination in the spinal roots. The lesions in the peripheral nervous system were characterised by myelin stripping and the presence of macrophages, being severest in the spinal nerve roots. Some axons were completely demyelinated, whereas the axons themselves were preserved. Pathologically established ongoing demyelination in both CNS and peripheral nervous systems raises the possibility of a shared pathological epitope.

Demyelinating Diseases↗

Focal plaque of demyelination mimicking cerebral tumor in a pediatric patient.

Focal, demyelinating lesions of the cerebrum mimicking brain tumors are a rare phenomenon, and even rarer in a pediatric population. We document the case of a 14-year-old female whose clinical, radiological and operative findings were strongly suggestive of glioma. However, histopathology revealed a demyelinating process. This case is significant as the lesion could not be distinguished from a glioma at any time in the presentation. At 41 months follow-up, the patient remains stable without further evidence of demyelination in other areas of the brain. Such a case suggests a cautious note for the pediatrician when presented with a similar patient and illustrates the importance of consideration of a demyelinating lesion in the differential diagnosis of a mass lesion in a pediatric population.

Adolescent↗

Demyelination following transfer of human lymphocytes into mice with severe combined immunodeficiency.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated inflammatory demyelinating disease in humans. We investigated adoptive transfer of demyelinating lesions into severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice via injection of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) from MS patients. PBLs from chronic progressive MS patients were injected 2-7 times at monthly intervals into 8-week-old or newborn SCID mice (n = 51). Immunocompetent mice (n = 10) were injected with similar PBLs from MS patients. Other SCID mice (n = 17) were injected with PBLs obtained from healthy human donors. Mice were sacrificed (2-8 weeks after the last injection); brains and spinal cords were studied with HE and myelin stains, and lymphocytic markers. Demyelinating lesions occurred in 2 mice injected with MS lymphocytes and in one mouse injected with cells from a healthy donor. In addition, occasional meningitis, hydrocephalus, periventricular leukomalacia, lymphomas of either mouse or human origin, and splenomegaly occurred in some mice. Thus transfer of PBLs from MS patients or normal controls can occasionally produce inflammatory demyelinating lesions in SCID mice. This phenomenon which does not appear to be specific to MS lymphocytes may be explained by 'graft-versus-host' of the human lymphocytes against the mouse tissue.

Animals↗

Glomerulonephritis associated with inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: a case report and review of the literature.

A patient developed relapsing inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy associated with nephrotic syndrome. Renal biopsy showed focal-segmental glomerulosclerosis. The review of the literature disclosed that glomerulonephritis with and without nephrotic syndrome seems to be not uncommon in inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome. membranous glomerulonephritis is the most frequent histologic diagnosis while minimal change nephropathy, 'acute glomerulonephritis' and postinfectious type glomerulonephritis are not often present. This is the first case of inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy associated with nephrotic syndrome due to focal-segmental glomerulosclerosis. Larger prospective studies are necessary and may contribute to the understanding of the pathogenesis of both, glomerulonephritis and inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.

Adult↗

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: MRI study of brain and spinal cord.

CNS demyelinating lesions have been reported in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP). There are no studies of cord atrophy in CIDP. Ten patients with CIDP underwent brain and spinal cord MRI to investigate CNS demyelination and cord atrophy. No CNS demyelination was found, but the mean cervical cord area was significantly smaller in CIDP patients vs control subjects. Spinal cord atrophy may be related to degeneration secondary to axonal loss.

Adult↗

Computerized tomography in demyelinating disease of the young.

We have used computerized tomography (CT) to look for evidence of cerebral demyelination in children with progressive neurologic disorders. Fourteen patients with a clinical diagnosis of a demyelinating disorder were examined by CT, and five had CT findings suggesting cerebral demyelination. In two patients with a so-called myelinoclastic demyelinating disease, CT showed asymmetric, circumscribed areas of diminished radiodensity, and in three patients with a leukodystrophy, scans showed diffuse symmetric areas of low density in the centrum ovale. Autopsy examination in one patient confirmed the diagnosis of sudanophilic leukodystrophy and substantiated the abnormalities suspected from CT.

Adolescent↗

The electrodiagnostic distinctions between chronic familial and acquired demyelinative neuropathies.

We compared the electrodiagnostic studies of 40 patients with chronic acquired demyelinative neuropathy and 18 patients with familial demyelinative neuropathy. Patients with acquired neuropathy had differential slowing of conduction velocity when distal latencies were compared with more proximal conduction velocities in the same nerve, when equivalent segments of different nerves were compared, and when dispersion of compound motor action potentials was examined. Conduction block was noted in some patients. Patients with familial disease had uniform conduction slowly of all nerve segments, and conduction block was not seen. Chronic acquired demyelinative neuropathy is characterized by multifocal slowing of nerve conduction, whereas familial demyelinative neuropathy is characterized by uniform conduction slowing.

Demyelinating Diseases↗

Optic nerve demyelination induced by human serum: patients with multiple sclerosis or optic neuritis and normal subjects.

We injected guinea pig optic nerves with serum from patients with MS or acute optic neuritis (ON), or normal subjects. Serum from 12 of 17 MS patients, 3 of 3 patients with ON, and 5 of 11 normal age- and sex-matched controls produced myelin vesiculation and demyelination 24 hours after injection. Nerves injected with demyelinating serum contained oligodendrocytes with pyknotic nuclei and edematous, rarefied cytoplasm. Nerves injected with serum that did not cause demyelination did not have these oligodendrocyte changes. Serum from normal subjects or patients with MS may induce in vivo demyelination in mammalian CNS.

Adolescent↗

Partial suppression of Theiler's virus-induced demyelination in vivo by administration of monoclonal antibodies to immune-response gene products (Ia antigens).

In vivo administration of monoclonal antibody reactive with major histocompatibility complex-encoded Ia molecules (I-As) partially suppressed inflammation and demyelination in the spinal cord of SJL/J (H-2s) mice persistently infected with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus. Demyelination was decreased if antibody was given at the time of virus inoculation or after inflammation had been established in the spinal cord. The decrease in demyelination was independent of isolation of infectious virus from the CNS or of serum titers of immunoglobulin to purified viral antigen. Thus, Theiler's virus-induced demyelination is mediated, in part, by immune cells that carry Ia class II molecules.

Agglutination Tests↗

Ouabain reverses conduction disturbances in single demyelinated nerve fibers.

Symptoms in patients with demyelinating disorders are associated with 3 important conduction abnormalities: complete conduction block, rate-dependent conduction block, and slowed impulse conduction. The recent observation that the electrogenic Na/K pump causes the nerve membrane hyperpolarization responsible for rate-dependent conduction block in demyelinated axons raises the possibility that focal inhibition of the pump may reverse the rate-dependent block. Since the pump is also responsible for maintaining part of the resting membrane potential, pump inhibition might have an additional effect of reversing the complete conduction block by reducing the threshold. We have demonstrated that inhibition of the pump by topical application of ouabain, a short-acting cardiac glycoside, reverses the conduction abnormalities in acutely demyelinated single rat ventral root axons by reducing the threshold of transmission. Ouabain or other cardiac glycosides show potential promise as agents for trial in the symptomatic treatment of patients with MS and other demyelinating disorders.

Animals↗

Clinicopathologic findings and prognosis of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinicopathologic features and prognostic factors of 100 patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). METHODS: Comparison of clinical and biopsy findings with functional score evaluated an average of 6 years after referral. RESULTS: CIDP followed a relapsing course in 14% of the patients and a progressive course in 45%. After progressive onset, little change was noted during follow-up in the others. Five patients had symptomatic involvement of the CNS. Teased fiber preparations of nerve biopsy specimens showed that 68 patients had purely demyelinative lesions, 20 had mixed axonal and demyelinative lesions, and 5 had predominantly axonal lesions. Axonal loss was a common finding, with 47% of the patients retaining less than half of the normal density of fibers. Inflammatory infiltrates, found in 18 samples, were prominent only in 4. Of the 83 patients evaluated an average of 6 years after onset, 56 were in good condition; 24 had deteriorated and failed to respond to treatment, including 9 patients who died as a consequence of their neurologic deficit. Progressive course, CNS involvement, high proportion of fibers showing active demyelination on nerve biopsy, and axonal loss overall correlated with higher disability. CONCLUSION: Axonal loss is the major long-term pejorative prognostic factor in CIDP.

Adolescent↗

Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

BACKGROUND: Activated macrophages and T lymphocytes may play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Both cell types secrete tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha), which has toxic effects on myelin and endothelial cells. METHODS: The serum concentration of TNFalpha was measured by ELISA and compared with clinical and electrophysiological profiles in 20 patients with CIDP. RESULTS: An increased serum level of TNFalpha was detected in 5 (25%) patients and was associated with subacute progression, severe neurologic disabilities, and symmetric weakness involving proximal as well as distal muscles. TNFalpha levels increased during the active phase in this subgroup of patients. The levels of TNFalpha correlated with the severity of demyelinating conduction abnormalities in the intermediate as well as distal nerve segments, suggesting demyelination diffusely distributed along the nerves. CONCLUSION: Circulating TNFalpha increases during the active phase in a subgroup of CIDP patients and may play a role in the pathogenesis of demyelination and the breakdown of the blood-nerve barrier in CIDP.

Adolescent↗