A. Nakajima et al., Involvement of CD70-CD27 interactions in the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, J NEUROIMM, 109(2), 2000, pp. 188-196
CD70/CD27 are cell surface molecules belonging to the TNF/TNF-receptor fami
lies. Ligation of CD27 by its ligand CD70 is thought to be important in T c
ell activation and T cell-B cell interaction. However, the in vivo function
of these molecules during the establishment of cell-mediated immunity rema
ins unclear. In this study, we examined the contribution of CD70-CD27 inter
actions to cell-mediated immunity by investigating the effect of anti-CD70
mAb on the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).
Treatment of SJL/J mice with anti-CD70 mAb prevented EAE induced by immuniz
ation with PLP139-151. The preventive effect of anti-CD70 mAb was not due t
o the inhibition of T cell priming and antibody production from B cells, or
immune deviation. However, TNF-alpha production was suppressed by treatmen
t with anti-CD70 mAb, indicating that the ameliorating effect of anti-CD70
mAb appeared, at least in part, to be mediated by the inhibition of TNF-alp
ha production. These results indicate that the CD70-CD27 interaction plays
a pivotal role in the development of cell-mediated autoimmune disease. (C)
2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.