Biomaterial Database

Bcl-2 expressing T lymphocytes in multiple sclerosis lesions. 1998

U K Zettl, and T Kuhlmann, and W Brück

Department of Neurology, University of Rostock, Germany.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chromatic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. T lymphocytes play a major role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The exact mechanisms by which the inflammation is regulated in MS have not yet been defined. Studies in animal models of MS suggest that apoptosis of T cells is the main factor terminating inflammation. The process of apoptosis itself is regulated by a range of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. The bcl-2 gene family is an important member of these proteins. The present study investigated the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein bcl-2 in 11 chronic MS cases including five relapsing-remitting and six chronic progressive MS patients. A total of 35 lesions containing all stages of demyelinating activity were studied. The number of CD 3-positive T cells and the absolute and relative numbers of T cells expressing bcl-2 were determined by double immunocytochemistry. Bcl-2 is expressed by T lymphocytes in MS plaques. Patients with chronic progressive MS have a higher proportion of bcl-2 expressing T cells than patients with relapsing remitting disease. Highest numbers of bcl-2-positive T lymphocytes were found in remyelinating and demyelinated lesions, whereas active demyelinating lesions revealed lower numbers. These data indicate that cell-death-related proteins such as the anti-apoptotic protein bcl-2 are expressed in MS lesions and that they might have important effects on the regulation of elimination or persistence of inflammatory cells in the central nervous system.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007150	Immunohistochemistry	Histochemical localization of immunoreactive substances using labeled antibodies as reagents.	Immunocytochemistry,Immunogold Techniques,Immunogold-Silver Techniques,Immunohistocytochemistry,Immunolabeling Techniques,Immunogold Technics,Immunogold-Silver Technics,Immunolabeling Technics,Immunogold Silver Technics,Immunogold Silver Techniques,Immunogold Technic,Immunogold Technique,Immunogold-Silver Technic,Immunogold-Silver Technique,Immunolabeling Technic,Immunolabeling Technique,Technic, Immunogold,Technic, Immunogold-Silver,Technic, Immunolabeling,Technics, Immunogold,Technics, Immunogold-Silver,Technics, Immunolabeling,Technique, Immunogold,Technique, Immunogold-Silver,Technique, Immunolabeling,Techniques, Immunogold,Techniques, Immunogold-Silver,Techniques, Immunolabeling
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009103	Multiple Sclerosis	An autoimmune disorder mainly affecting young adults and characterized by destruction of myelin in the central nervous system. Pathologic findings include multiple sharply demarcated areas of demyelination throughout the white matter of the central nervous system. Clinical manifestations include visual loss, extra-ocular movement disorders, paresthesias, loss of sensation, weakness, dysarthria, spasticity, ataxia, and bladder dysfunction. The usual pattern is one of recurrent attacks followed by partial recovery (see MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, RELAPSING-REMITTING), but acute fulminating and chronic progressive forms (see MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, CHRONIC PROGRESSIVE) also occur. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p903)	MS (Multiple Sclerosis),Multiple Sclerosis, Acute Fulminating,Sclerosis, Disseminated,Disseminated Sclerosis,Sclerosis, Multiple
D009186	Myelin Sheath	The lipid-rich sheath surrounding AXONS in both the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEMS and PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. The myelin sheath is an electrical insulator and allows faster and more energetically efficient conduction of impulses. The sheath is formed by the cell membranes of glial cells (SCHWANN CELLS in the peripheral and OLIGODENDROGLIA in the central nervous system). Deterioration of the sheath in DEMYELINATING DISEASES is a serious clinical problem.	Myelin,Myelin Sheaths,Sheath, Myelin,Sheaths, Myelin
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D013601	T-Lymphocytes	Lymphocytes responsible for cell-mediated immunity. Two types have been identified - cytotoxic (T-LYMPHOCYTES, CYTOTOXIC) and helper T-lymphocytes (T-LYMPHOCYTES, HELPER-INDUCER). They are formed when lymphocytes circulate through the THYMUS GLAND and differentiate to thymocytes. When exposed to an antigen, they divide rapidly and produce large numbers of new T cells sensitized to that antigen.	T Cell,T Lymphocyte,T-Cells,Thymus-Dependent Lymphocytes,Cell, T,Cells, T,Lymphocyte, T,Lymphocyte, Thymus-Dependent,Lymphocytes, T,Lymphocytes, Thymus-Dependent,T Cells,T Lymphocytes,T-Cell,T-Lymphocyte,Thymus Dependent Lymphocytes,Thymus-Dependent Lymphocyte
D017252	CD3 Complex	Complex of at least five membrane-bound polypeptides in mature T-lymphocytes that are non-covalently associated with one another and with the T-cell receptor (RECEPTORS, ANTIGEN, T-CELL). The CD3 complex includes the gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta, and eta chains (subunits). When antigen binds to the T-cell receptor, the CD3 complex transduces the activating signals to the cytoplasm of the T-cell. The CD3 gamma and delta chains (subunits) are separate from and not related to the gamma/delta chains of the T-cell receptor (RECEPTORS, ANTIGEN, T-CELL, GAMMA-DELTA).	Antigens, CD3,CD3 Antigens,T3 Antigens,CD3 Antigen,T3 Antigen,T3 Complex,Antigen, CD3,Antigen, T3,Antigens, T3