Abstract
Most natural killer (NK) T cells express an invariant Vα14 T-cell receptor. To explore the contribution of NKT cells in an animal model for multiple sclerosis, Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection, TMEV-infected mice were treated with Vα14 antibody. Treatment during the early stage of infection delayed the onset of demyelinating disease with higher interleukin-4 production, whereas administration during the late stage or weekly resulted in more severe demyelination with enhanced virus persistence. The effect of in vivo depletion of NKT cells differed depending on the stage of infection, suggesting contrasting roles for NKT cells over the disease course.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Jane E. Libbey, MS, and Takahisa Masaki, PhD, for helpful discussions, along with Nikki J. Kirkman, BS, Andy K. Luu, and Faris Hasanovic for excellent technical assistance. The authors are grateful to Ms. Kathleen Borick for preparation of the manuscript. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R21NS059724, NS034497 and AI581501).
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.