CHEMOKINE EXPRESSION IN MURINE EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS

Chemokines are a family of low molecular mass proteins with chemotacti c and cell activating activities. Reverse transcription-polymerase cha in reaction and Northern hybridization were used to examine their expr ession during murine experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), an autoimmune disease used as a model of multiple sclerosis. The mRNAs e ncoding RANTES, MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, TCA3 (I-309), IP-10, JE (MCP- 1), KC (MGSA/gro), and MARC (MCP-3) were induced in the spinal cord 1- 2 days before clinical signs were apparent. SDF, a cDNA predicted to e ncode a chemokine-like product, was expressed in normal as well as dis eased spinal cords. No expression of C10 or MIP-2 was detected. Activa ted encephalitogenic T cells expressed message for RANTES, MIP-1 alpha , MIP-1 beta, and TCA3. These results define a subset of chemokines th at may play an important role in the inflammatory process during murin e EAE.