Association of Autophagy in the Cell Death Mediated by Dihydrotestosterone in Autoreactive T Cells Independent of Antigenic Stimulation.

ABSTRACT: Gender disparity is well documented in the mouse model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced with proteolipid protein (PLP) 139-151, in which female, but not male, SJL mice show a chronic relapsing-remitting paralysis. Furthermore, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) has been shown to ameliorate the severity of EAE, but the underlying mechanisms of its protective effects are unclear. Using major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II dextramers for PLP 139-151, we tested the hypothesis that DHT selectively modulates the expansion and functionalities of antigen-specific T cells. Unexpectedly, we noted that DHT induced cell death in antigen-specific, autoreactive T cells, but the effects were not selective, because both proliferating and non-proliferating cells were equally aff

SUBMITTER: Jia T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4662616 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature