Critical role for prokineticin 2 in CNS autoimmunity.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To investigate the potential role of prokineticin 2 (PK2), a bioactive peptide involved in multiple biological functions including immune modulation, in CNS autoimmune demyelinating disease.

Methods

We investigated the expression of PK2 in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS), and in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. We evaluated the biological effects of PK2 on expression of EAE and on development of T-cell response against myelin by blocking PK2 in vivo with PK2 receptor antagonists. We treated with PK2 immune cells activated against myelin antigen to explore the immune-modulating effects of this peptide in vitro.

Results

Pk2 messenger RNA was upregulated in spinal cord and lymph node ce

SUBMITTER: Abou-Hamdan M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4396530 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature