Autoantibodies to myelin basic protein (MBP) in healthy individuals and in patients with multiple sclerosis: a role in regulating cytokine responses to MBP

Chris Juul Hedegaard, Ning Chen, Finn Sellebjerg, Per Soelberg Sørensen, R. G. Leslie, Klaus Bendtzen, C. H. Nielsen

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Anti-myelin basic protein (-MBP) autoantibodies have generally been considered to be absent from sera from healthy individuals, but to be detectable in sera from some patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, their pathogenic role is uncertain. We demonstrate the presence of MBP-reactive autoantibodies in sera from 17 healthy individuals and 17 MS patients. The addition of MBP to the sera caused a dose-dependent deposition of MBP and co-deposition of immunoglobulin M (IgM) and fragments of complement component 3 (C3) on allogeneic monocytes. Calcium chelation abrogated the immunoglobulin deposition, indicating that formation of complement-activating immune complexes played a role in the binding process. Furthermore, MBP elicited tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-10 production by normal mononuclear cells in the presence of serum from both patients and controls. Mononuclear cells from MS patients responded to MBP with the production of interferon (IFN)-γ, IL-4 and IL-5, in addition to TNF-α and IL-10. The production of IFN-γ and IL-5 was increased when MS serum was added rather than normal serum. Denaturation of MBP strongly inhibited MBP deposition and the MBP-induced IgM deposition and cytokine production, indicating that these events were facilitated by autoantibodies recognizing conformational epitopes on MBP. We infer that MBP-elicited TNF-α and IL-10 responses are promoted to equal extents by naturally occurring MBP autoantibodies and autoantibodies contained in MS sera. However, the latter seem to be more efficient in facilitating the production of IFN-γ and IL-5.
Original languageEnglish
JournalImmunology
Volume128
Issue numberPART 2
Pages (from-to)e451-e461
ISSN0019-2805
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Autoantibodies to myelin basic protein (MBP) in healthy individuals and in patients with multiple sclerosis: a role in regulating cytokine responses to MBP'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this