Transcriptome analysis of CD4+ T cells in experimental autoimmune encephalitomyelitis

In this study we determined whole genome gene expression of murine naive CD4+ T cells, in vitro differentiated Th17 cells, and CD4+ T cells isolated from experimental autoimmune encephalitomyelitis (EAE)-affected animals either after adoptive transfer of Th17 cells or after immunization with MOG35-55-peptide. The overall goal was to identify candidate genes involved in T cell pathology, encephalitogenicity and plasticity. These findings could then be correlated to multiple sclerosis pathology. Naive CD4+ T cells were isolated from B6.2d2 transgenic mice with MOG-specific T cell receptors and differentiated in vitro into Th17 cells. These Th17 cells were adoptively transferred into lymphopenic RAG1-/- mice to induce EAE. Further, EAE was induced by immunizing wild-type C57BL/6 mice with MOG35-55 peptide. RNA was extracted from naive CD4+ T cells, Th17 cells, and from CD4+ T cells isolated from the CNS of EAE-affected mice for gene expression analysis. Replicates from three independent experiments were analyzed.