Functional Characterization of Aquaporin-4 Specific T Cells: Towards a Model for Neuromyelitis Optica
Figure 4
Immunization of C57BL/6 mice with AQP422–36 or AQP4289–303 does not induce signs of spinal cord disease or optic neuritis.
Groups of wild type C57BL/6 mice (n = 4 per group) were immunized with PBS/CFA, MOG35–55/CFA, AQP422–36 (peptide 8)/CFA, or AQP4289–303 (peptide 97)/CFA. (A) EAE scores. Note that AQP4 peptide immunized mice did not develop signs of disease while MOG35–55/CFA immunized animals showed classical paraparesis. (B, C) Mice that had been immunized with MOG35–55/CFA, AQP422–36 (peptide 8)/CFA, or AQP4289–303 (peptide 97)/CFA were analysed by histology. Representative sections of spinal cords (B) and optic nerves (C) are shown. Paraffin sections were stained with luxol fast blue (LFB)-PAS to illustrate demyelination or with antibodies to CD3 or Mac-3 to visualize T cell or macrophage infiltrates, respectively. Spinal cord areas that are shown at higher magnification are marked by frames. Scale bars are 500 µm and 200 µm for the spinal cord sections and 100 µm for the optic nerve sections as indicated.