Measles Virus-Specific Human T Cell Clones: Studies of Alloreactivity and Antigenic Cross-Reactivity

摘要

Measles virus is the causative agent in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a chronic, latent, central nervous system infection in humans (Ter Meulen et al., 1972), and is one of the agents considered to be of potential etiologic importance in multiple sclerosis (MS) Evidence for the latter includes the presence of elevated anti-measles antibody titers in the cerebrospinal fluid and sera of patients with the disease, the findings of intrathecal production of this antibody in these patients, and the recent report that patients with MS exhibit a defect in cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated killing of measles virus-infected target cells. Cross-reactivity between altered self and foreign major histocompatibility complex (MHC) may be of etiologic importance in autoimmune disease. We have studied 29 measles virus-specific cloned and uncloned T cell lines from a patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) and from a normal subject. Two of the T cell clones derived rom the normal subject reacted with foreign MHC determinants. No cross-reactivity between measles virus and either myelin basic protein (BP) or galactocerebroside (GC) was detected. T cell clones which are specific for nominal antigen and which also recognize alloantigen were detected with much smaller frequency than that reported in murine systems. Our data do not support a role for alloreactive measles-specific T cells, nor for cross-reactivity between measles virus and either BP or GC, in the pathogenesis of MS. Reprints. (AW)