Modeled Microgravity Suppressed Expansion of the MBP-specific T Lymphocytes of Rats with Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Abstract

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of autoreactive T lymphocytes, with markedly increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. To further dissect the pathogenetic pathways of this disease, we exposed T lymphocytes from EAE rats, which were specific for myelin basic protein (MBP) to a modeled microgravity (MMG) environment, using a rotated cell culture system (RCCS) that was known to suppress proliferation of normal T cells. Following exposure to MMG, the proliferation of EAE lymphocytes decreased dramatically compared to those cultured in unit gravity (UG). At the beginning of MMG, a significant increase of apoptosis of MBP-specific T lymphocytes was observed, while at a later stage, the cytokine secretion profile of exposed MBP-specific T lymphocytes was altered, as was the differentiation of Th subsets. We concluded that the function of MBP-specific T lymphocytes was disordered after exposure to MMG.

• Autoreactive T cell
• Modeled microgravity
• Proliferation
• Apoptosis
• Cytokine
• Differentiation

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was supported by the project of Harbin Medical University Youth Science Found (060038), the program of Cell Biological Agent Engineering Center of Harbin Medical University (1151gzx05), the National Nature Science Foundation of China (30901330), the Harbin Science & Technology Bureau Creative Talent Fund (2009RFXXS009) and the project of Sanitary Bureau of Heilongjiang Province (2009-206).

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.