MAIT cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) most likely caused by autoreactive T cells. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are characterized by a semi-invariant T cell receptor (TCR) with which they recognize 5-(2-oxopropylideneamino)-6-D-ribitylaminouracil (5-OP-RU), a metabolite of the riboflavin (vitamin B2) pathway only present in yeast and bacteria. MAIT cells have been detected in inflamed brain lesions of MS patients. However, functional analyses of CNS-infiltrating MAIT cells are lacking and require a characterisation in the MS animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Murine MAIT cells (living CD45+CD11b–CD45R–TCR-β+MR1tetramer(5-OP-RU)+ cells) were sorted from spleens and central nervous system of healthy mice and mice on day 14 of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Five animals were pooled per sample. All EAE mice had a score >= 3.