Project description:The gut microbiome plays an important role in normal immune function and has been implicated in several autoimmune disorders. Here we use high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing to investigate the gut microbiome in subjects with multiple sclerosis (MS, n=61) and healthy controls (n=43). Alterations in the gut microbiome in MS include increases in the genera Methanobrevibacter and Akkermansia and decreases in Butyricimonas, and correlate with variations in the expression of genes involved in dendritic cell maturation, interferon signaling and NF-kB signaling pathways in circulating T cells and monocytes. Patients on disease-modifying treatment show increased abundances of the genera Prevotella and Sutterella, and decreased Sarcina, compared to untreated patients. MS patients of a second cohort show elevated breath methane compared to controls, consistent with our observation of increased gut Methanobrevibacter in MS in the first cohort. Further study is required to assess whether the observed alterations in the gut microbiome play a role in, or are a consequence of, MS pathogenesis.
Project description:To study the regulation of candidate genes from our study in human cells, we analyzed CD4+ T cells from blood and CSF of MA patients and age and sex matched idiopathic intracranial hypertension controls We analyzed 40845 cells in control blood, 807 cells in control CSF, 29749 cells in MS blood and 15768 cells in MS CSF
Project description:Elevated frequencies of GM-CSF-producing helper T (TH) cells are consistently found in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and GM-CSF expression is a non-redundant feature of pathogenic TH cells in preclinical models of MS. GM-CSF activates an inflammatory signature in monocytes, and their progeny are the most abundant cellular infiltrate in acute MS lesions. To model deregulated GM-CSF levels, we generated a transgenic mouse line allowing the induction of GM-CSF expression in mature, peripheral TH cells. This antigen-independent GM-CSF release induced severe neurological deficits with almost 100% penetrance, accompanied by the infiltration of inflammatory monocyte-derived myeloid cells into the brain stem and spinal cord. Other organs did not show obvious signs for clinical pathology, despite also being infiltrated by inflammatory myeloid cells. We aim to unravel differences between organs, their responses by sequencing CD45-negative tissue cells isolate from the CNS and the lung.
Project description:Elevated frequencies of GM-CSF-producing helper T (TH) cells are consistently found in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and GM-CSF expression is a non-redundant feature of pathogenic TH cells in preclinical models of MS. GM-CSF activates an inflammatory signature in monocytes, and their progeny are the most abundant cellular infiltrate in acute MS lesions. To model deregulated GM-CSF levels, we generated a transgenic mouse line allowing the induction of GM-CSF expression in mature, peripheral TH cells. This antigen-independent GM-CSF release induced severe neurological deficits with almost 100% penetrance, accompanied by the infiltration of inflammatory monocyte-derived myeloid cells into the brain stem and spinal cord. Other organs did not show obvious signs for clinical pathology, despite also being infiltrated by inflammatory myeloid cells. We aim to unravel differences between organs, their responses and also the potential of tissue destruction by infiltrating cells by sequencing inflammatory myeloid cells isolate from the individual organs.
Project description:Lipids comprise 70% of the myelin sheath, and autoantibodies against lipids may contribute to the demyelination that characterizes multiple sclerosis (MS). We used lipid antigen microarrays and lipid mass spectrometry to identify bona fide lipid targets of the autoimmune response in MS brain and an animal model of MS to explore the role of the identified lipids in autoimmune demyelination. We found that autoantibodies in MS target a phosphate group in phosphatidylserine and oxidized phosphatidylcholine derivatives. Administration of these lipids ameliorated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by suppressing activation and inducing apoptosis of autoreactive T cells, effects mediated by the lipids' saturated fatty-acid side chains. Thus, phospholipids represent a natural anti-inflammatory class of compounds that have potential as novel therapeutics for MS. Fig. 2A. Mini-Array I: IgG antibody reactivity to various glycero-3-phosphocholine lipids in CSF samples from patients with relapsing remitting MS and from control patients with other neurological disease. Lipid hits with the lowest FDR (q=0.029) were clustered according to their reactivity profiles. 47 different lipids were custom-spotted in duplicate using the CAMAG Automatic TLC Sampler (ATS4) robot to spray 200 nl of 10 to 100 pmol of lipids onto PVDF membranes affixed to the surface of microscope slides. The slides were probed with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 24 human patient samples. 25 slides total: 13 relapsing-remitting MS, 11 other neurological disease, and 1 secondary Ab alone (not included in this submission). CSF diluted 1/20. HRP-conjugated secondary Ab (goat anti-human IgM/IgG) diluted 1/175. ECL for 3 minutes.
Project description:Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protects the central nervous system (CNS) and analyzing CSF aids the diagnosis of CNS diseases, but our understanding of CSF leukocytes remains superficial. Here, using single cell transcriptomics, we identified a specific border-associated composition and transcriptome of CSF leukocytes. Multiple sclerosis (MS) – an autoimmune disease of the CNS – increased transcriptional diversity in blood, but increased cell type diversity in CSF including a higher abundance of cytotoxic phenotype T helper cells. A new analytical approach, named cell set enrichment analysis (CSEA) identified a cluster-independent increase of follicular T helper (TFH) cells potentially driving the known expansion of B lineage cells in the CSF in MS. In mice, TFH cells accordingly promoted B cell infiltration into the CNS and the severity of MS animal models. Immune mechanisms in MS are thus highly compartmentalized and indicate ongoing local T/B cell interaction.
Project description:Lipids comprise 70% of the myelin sheath, and autoantibodies against lipids may contribute to the demyelination that characterizes multiple sclerosis (MS). We used lipid antigen microarrays and lipid mass spectrometry to identify bona fide lipid targets of the autoimmune response in MS brain and an animal model of MS to explore the role of the identified lipids in autoimmune demyelination. We found that autoantibodies in MS target a phosphate group in phosphatidylserine and oxidized phosphatidylcholine derivatives. Administration of these lipids ameliorated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by suppressing activation and inducing apoptosis of autoreactive T cells, effects mediated by the lipids' saturated fatty-acid side chains. Thus, phospholipids represent a natural anti-inflammatory class of compounds that have potential as novel therapeutics for MS. Fig. 1A. Lipid-array profiling of IgG+IgM antibody reactivity in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from MS patients (relapsing remitting MS; secondary progressive MS; primary progressive MS), healthy controls, and other neurological disease controls. Lipid hits with the lowest FDR (q=0.048) were clustered according to their reactivity profiles. 48 different lipids were custom-spotted in duplicate using the CAMAG Automatic TLC Sampler (ATS4) robot to spray 200 nl of 10 to 100 pmol of lipids onto PVDF membranes affixed to the surface of microscope slides. The slides were probed with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 59 human patient samples. 60 slides total: 18 relapsing-remitting MS, 14 secondary-progressive MS, 1 primary-progressive MS, 21 other neurological disease, 5 healthy control, 1 secondary Ab alone (not included in this submission). CSF diluted 1/10. HRP-conjugated secondary Ab (goat anti-human IgM/IgG) diluted 1/8000. ECL for 3 minutes.
Project description:Intense immunosuppression followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) is a potential treatment for patients suffering from aggressive multiple sclerosis (MS). However it remains unresolved whether autologous CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells of MS patients show gene expression differences prior to aHSCT that indicate a preset proinflammatory state, which would then also predispose to or predetermine recurrence of the autoimmune disease. To approach this key point we compared the gene expression signature of CD34+ and CD34- cells collected from MS patients and healthy donors (HD). Whole genome gene expression of CD34+ and CD34- cells was analysed with the Human 4x44K Design Array (Agilent-Technologies). As main observation we found only minor differences in the gene expression signature of MS patients compared to HD. Only a single gene, troponin-type-1 (TNNT1), reached statistical significance after correction for multiple comparisons (logFC=3.1, p<0.01). There was a decreased expression of several protease genes, myeloperoxidase (MPO), neutrophil-elastase (ELA2), cathepsin-G (CTSG) and serine-protease 21 (PRSS21) in HPCs of MS patients, albeit not reaching statistical significance. In summary we did not detect substantial alterations in the gene expression profile of CD34+ HPCs in MS. Our data support the use of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for treatment of an autoimmune disease. Samples of CD34+ cells were obtained from 4 female MS patients and 4 age matched healthy donors (3 female) mobilized by G-CSF (2x5M-NM-<g/kg/day) and 4 MS patients (2 female) mobilized by G-CSF (5M-NM-<g/kg/day) plus Cyclophosphamide (Cy, 4g/m2). White blood cells, containing the CD34+ cell fraction, were collected by leucocytapheresis from peripheral blood, frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen. All samples were thawed and processed at one center and CD34+ HPCs purified by magnetic bead separation using the autoMACS system (Miltenyi). Purity and viability of CD34+ cells was analyzed by Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter (FACS). Total cellular RNA were extracted with TRIzol reagent and analyzed with the Human 4x44K Design Array (Agilent-Technologies).
Project description:Dysregulation of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway is associated with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and its mouse model, Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE). Suppressors Of Cytokine Signaling (SOCS) negatively regulate the JAK/STAT pathway. We previously reported a severe, brain-targeted, atypical form of EAE in mice lacking Socs3 in myeloid cells (Socs3ΔLysM), which is associated with cerebellar neutrophil infiltration. There is emerging evidence that neutrophils are detrimental in the pathology of MS/EAE, however, their exact function is unclear. Here we demonstrate that neutrophils from the cerebellum of Socs3ΔLysM mice show a hyper-activated phenotype with excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the peak of EAE. Neutralization of ROS in vivo delayed the onset and reduced severity of atypical EAE. Mechanistically, Socs3-deficient neutrophils exhibit enhanced STAT3 activation, a hyper-activated phenotype in response to G-CSF, and upon G-CSF priming, increased ROS production. Neutralization of G-CSF in vivo significantly reduced the incidence and severity of the atypical EAE phenotype. Overall, our work elucidates that hypersensitivity of G-CSF/STAT3 signaling in Socs3ΔLysM mice leads to atypical EAE by enhanced neutrophil activation and increased oxidative stress, which may explain the detrimental role of G-CSF in MS patients.