A Spontaneous Model of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Provides Evidence of MOG-Specific B Cell Recruitment and Clonal Expansion.

The key role of B cells in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) is supported by the presence of oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid, by the association of meningeal ectopic B cell follicles with demyelination, axonal loss and reduction of astrocytes, as well as by the high efficacy of B lymphocyte depletion in controlling inflammatory parameters of MS. Here, we use a spontaneous model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) to study the clonality of the B cell response targeting myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). In particular, 94% of SJL/j mice expressing an I-As: MOG92-106 specific transgenic T cell receptor (TCR1640) spontaneously develop a chronic paralytic EAE between the age of 60-500 days. The immune response is triggered by the microbiota in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue, while there is evidence that the maturation of the autoimmune demyelinating response might occur in the cervical lymph nodes owing to local brain drainage. Using MOG-protein-tetramers we tracked the autoantigen-specific B cells and localized their enrichment to the cervical lymph nodes and among the brain immune infiltrate. MOG-specific IgG1 antibodies were detected in the serum of diseased TCR1640 mice and proved pathogenic upon adoptive transfer into disease-prone recipients. The ontogeny of the MOG-specific humoral response preceded disease onset coherent with their contribution to EAE initiation. This humoral response was, however, not sufficient for disease induction as MOG-antibodies could be detected at the age of 69 days in a model with an average age of onset of 197 days. To assess the MOG-specific B cell repertoire we FACS-sorted MOG-tetramer binding cells and clonally expand them in vitro to sequence the paratopes of the IgG heavy chain and kappa light chains. Despite the fragility of clonally expanding MOG-tetramer binding effector B cells, our results indicate the selection of a common CDR-3 clonotype among the Igk light chains derived from both disease-free and diseased TCR1640 mice. Our study demonstrates the pre-clinical mobilization of the MOG-specific B cell response within the brain-draining cervical lymph nodes, and reiterates that MOG antibodies are a poor biomarker of disease onset and progression.

Fc Sialylation Prolongs Serum Half-Life of Therapeutic Antibodies.

The long serum t 1/2 of IgGs is ensured by their interaction with the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), which salvages IgG from intracellular degradation. Fc glycosylation is thought not to influence FcRn binding and IgG longevity in vivo. In this article, we demonstrate that hypersialylation of asparagine 297 (N297) enhances IgG serum persistence. This polarized glycosylation is achieved using a novel Fc mutation, a glutamate residue deletion at position 294 (Del) that endows IgGs with an up to 9-fold increase in serum lifespan. The strongest impact was observed when the Del was combined with Fc mutations improving FcRn binding (Del-FcRn+). Enzymatic desialylation of a Del-FcRn+ mutant or its production in a cell line unable to hypersialylate reduced the in vivo serum t 1/2 of the desialylated mutants to that of native FcRn+ mutants. Consequently, our study proves that sialylation of the N297 sugar moiety has a direct impact on human IgG serum persistence.

Thymic-Specific Serine Protease Limits Central Tolerance and Exacerbates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.

The genetic predisposition to multiple sclerosis (MS) is most strongly conveyed by MHC class II haplotypes, possibly by shaping the autoimmune CD4 T cell repertoire. Whether Ag-processing enzymes contribute to MS susceptibility by editing the peptide repertoire presented by these MHC haplotypes is unclear. Thymus-specific serine protease (TSSP) is expressed by thymic epithelial cells and thymic dendritic cells (DCs) and, in these two stromal compartments, TSSP edits the peptide repertoire presented by class II molecules. We show in this article that TSSP increases experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis severity by limiting central tolerance to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein. The effect on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis severity was MHC class II allele dependent, because the lack of TSSP expression conferred protection in NOD mice but not in C57BL/6 mice. Importantly, although human thymic DCs express TSSP, individuals segregate into two groups having a high or 10-fold lower level of expression. Therefore, the level of TSSP expression by thymic DCs may modify the risk factors for MS conferred by some MHC class II haplotypes.

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein induces incomplete tolerance of CD4(+) T cells specific for both a myelin and a neuronal self-antigen in mice.

T-cell polyspecificity, predicting that individual T cells recognize a continuum of related ligands, implies that multiple antigens can tolerize T cells specific for a given self-antigen. We previously showed in C57BL/6 mice that part of the CD4(+) T-cell repertoire specific for myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) 35-55 also recognizes the neuronal antigen neurofilament medium (NF-M) 15-35. Such bi-specific CD4(+) T cells are frequent and produce inflammatory cytokines after stimulation. Since T cells recognizing two self-antigens would be expected to be tolerized more efficiently, this finding prompted us to study how polyspecificity impacts tolerance. We found that similar to MOG, NF-M is expressed in the thymus by medullary thymic epithelial cells, a tolerogenic population. Nevertheless, the frequency, phenotype, and capacity to transfer experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) of MOG35-55 -reactive CD4(+) T cells were increased in MOG-deficient but not in NF-M-deficient mice. We found that presentation of NF-M15-35 by I-A(b) on dendritic cells is of short duration, suggesting unstable MHC class II binding. Consistently, introducing an MHC-anchoring residue into NF-M15-35 (NF-M15-35 T20Y) increased its immunogenicity, activating a repertoire able to induce EAE. Our results show that in C57BL/6 mice bi-specific encephalitogenic T cells manage to escape tolerization due to inefficient exposure to two self-antigens.

In situ expansion of T cells that recognize distinct self-antigens sustains autoimmunity in the CNS.

Polyspecific T cells recognizing multiple distinct self-antigens have been identified in multiple sclerosis and other organ-specific autoimmune diseases, but their pathophysiological relevance remains undetermined. Using a mouse model of multiple sclerosis, we show that autoimmune encephalomyelitis induction is strictly dependent on reactivation of pathogenic T cells by a peptide (35-55) derived from myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). This disease-inducing response wanes after onset. Strikingly, the progression of disease is driven by the in situ activation and expansion of a minority of MOG35-55-specific T cells that also recognize neurofilament-medium (NF-M)15-35, an intermediate filament protein expressed in neurons. This mobilization of bispecific T cells is critical for disease progression as adoptive transfer of NF-M15-35/MOG35-55 bispecific T cell lines caused full-blown disease in wild-type but not NF-M-deficient recipients. Moreover, specific tolerance through injection of NF-M15-35 peptide at the peak of disease halted experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis progression. Our findings highlight the importance of polyspecific autoreactive T cells in the aggravation and perpetuation of central nervous system autoimmunity.

Bispecificity for myelin and neuronal self-antigens is a common feature of CD4 T cells in C57BL/6 mice.

The recognition of multiple ligands by a single TCR is an intrinsic feature of T cell biology, with important consequences for physiological and pathological processes. Polyspecific T cells targeting distinct self-antigens have been identified in healthy individuals as well as in the context of autoimmunity. We have previously shown that the 2D2 TCR recognizes the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein epitope (MOG)35-55 as well as an epitope within the axonal protein neurofilament medium (NF-M15-35) in H-2(b) mice. In this study, we assess whether this cross-reactivity is a common feature of the MOG35-55-specific T cell response. To this end, we analyzed the CD4 T cell response of MOG35-55-immunized C57BL/6 mice for cross-reactivity with NF-M15-35. Using Ag recall responses, we established that an important proportion of MOG35-55-specific CD4 T cells also responded to NF-M15-35 in all mice tested. To study the clonality of this response, we analyzed 22 MOG35-55-specific T cell hybridomas expressing distinct TCR. Seven hybridomas were found to cross-react with NF-M15-35. Using an alanine scan of NF-M18-30 and an in silico predictive model, we dissected the molecular basis of cross-reactivity between MOG35-55 and NF-M15-35. We established that NF-M F24, R26, and V27 proved important TCR contacts. Strikingly, the identified TCR contacts are conserved within MOG38-50. Our data indicate that due to linear sequence homology, part of the MOG35-55-specific T cell repertoire of all C57BL/6 mice also recognizes NF-M15-35, with potential implications for CNS autoimmunity.

Invariant NKT cells regulate the CD8 T cell response during Theiler's virus infection.

Invariant NKT cells are innate lymphocytes with a broad tissue distribution. Here we demonstrate that iNKT cells reside in the central nervous system (CNS) in the absence of inflammation. Their presence in the CNS dramatically augments following inoculation of C57Bl/6 mice with the neurotropic Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV). At the peak of inflammation the cellular infiltrate comprises 45,000 iNKT cells for 1250 CD8 T cells specific for the immunodominant TMEV epitope. To study the interaction between these two T cell subsets, we infected both iNKT cell deficient Jα18(-/-) mice and iNKT cell enriched Vα14 transgenic mice with TMEV. The CD8 T cell response readily cleared TMEV infection in the iNKT cell deficient mice. However, in the iNKT cell enriched mice TMEV infection persisted and was associated with significant mortality. This was caused by the inhibition of the CD8 T cell response in the cervical lymph nodes and spleen after T cell priming. Taken together we demonstrate that iNKT cells reside in the CNS in the absence of inflammation and that their enrichment is associated with the inhibition of the anti-viral CD8 T cell response and an augmented mortality during acute encephalomyelitis.

In situ evidence of JC virus control by CD8+ T cells in PML-IRIS during HIV infection.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pathophysiologic features of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) associated with immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (PML-IRIS) in HIV-infected patients. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, we retrospectively analyzed 11 HIV-infected patients with a firm diagnosis of PML-IRIS. Brain biopsies were collected from 5 patients and their histopathologic features were compared to those of 4 HIV-infected patients with classic PML. RESULTS: PML-IRIS developed soon after initiation of antiretroviral therapy in late-presenting HIV-infected patients. The lesions from the 5 biopsied PML-IRIS patients were characterized by a reduction in the density of JC virus (JCV)-infected cells when compared to the 4 patients with PML (11.1 ± 3.2/mm² vs 51.2 ± 4.3/mm², p = 0.01). Comparing the 5 patients with PML-IRIS vs the 4 patients with PML, this correlated with an increased accumulation of CD8+ T cells (818.2 ± 192.8/mm² vs 52.5 ± 10.6/mm², p = 0.01), CD20+ B cells (33.4 ± 13.5/mm² vs 0.5 ± 0.5/mm², p = 0.01), and CD138+ plasma cells (177 ± 84.1/mm² vs 0.25 ± 0.25/mm², p = 0.01), while the number of CD68+ macrophages/microglia did not differ. The ratio between CD8+ T cells and JCV-infected cells was 70 times higher in the 5 patients with PML-IRIS. These findings indicate a clear relationship between an enhanced recruitment of CD8+ T cells and the associated control of the JCV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our data provide in situ evidence that PML-IRIS brain lesions are enriched in cytotoxic CD8+ T cells that engage JCV-infected oligodendrocytes. This leads to a better control of JCV dissemination, but at the cost of oligodendrocyte cell death and demyelination.

Tc17 CD8+ T cells potentiate Th1-mediated autoimmune diabetes in a mouse model.

An increase in IL-17-producing CD8+ T (Tc17) cells has been reported in the peripheral blood of children with recent onset type 1 diabetes (T1D), but their contribution to disease pathogenesis is still unknown. To directly study the pathogenic potential of ß cell-specific Tc17 cells, we used an experimental model of T1D based on the expression of the neo-self Ag hemagglutinin (HA) in the ß cells of the pancreas. When transferred alone, the IL-17-producing HA-specific CD8+ T cells homed to the pancreatic lymph nodes without causing any pancreatic infiltration or tissue destruction. When transferred together with small numbers of diabetogenic HA-specific CD4+ T cells, a strikingly different phenotype developed. Under these conditions, Tc17 cells sustained disease progression, driving the destruction of ß-islet cells, causing hyperglycemia and ultimately death. Disease progression did not correlate with functional or numerical alterations among the HA-specific CD4+ T cells. Rather, the transferred CD8+ T cells accumulated in the pancreatic islets and a considerable fraction converted, under the control of IL-12, to an IFN-γ-producing phenotype. Our data indicate that Tc17 cells are not diabetogenic but can potentiate a Th1-mediated disease. Plasticity of the Tc17 lineage is associated with transition to overt disease in this experimental model of T1D.

T cell apoptosis and induction of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells underlie the therapeutic efficacy of CD4 blockade in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

The pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis requires the participation of effector neuroantigen-specific T cells. Thus, T cell targeting has been proposed as a promising therapeutic strategy. However, the mechanism underlying effective disease prevention following T cell targeting remains incompletely known. We found, using several TCR-transgenic strains, that CD4 blockade is effective in preventing experimental autoimmune encephalopathy and in treating mice after the disease onset. The mechanism does not rely on direct T cell depletion, but the anti-CD4 mAb prevents the proliferation of naive neuroantigen-specific T cells, as well as acquisition of effector Th1 and Th17 phenotypes. Simultaneously, the mAb favors peripheral conversion of Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells. Pre-existing effector cells, or neuroantigen-specific cells that undergo cell division despite the presence of anti-CD4, are committed to apoptosis. Therefore, protection from experimental autoimmune encephalopathy relies on a combination of dominant mechanisms grounded on regulatory T cell induction and recessive mechanisms based on apoptosis of neuropathogenic cells. We anticipate that the same mechanisms may be implicated in other T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases that can be treated or prevented with Abs targeting T cell molecules, such as CD4 or CD3.

Pathogenesis of the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in HIV-infected patients.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is an important clinical complication in HIV-infected patients initiating antiretroviral therapy. This review focuses on the latest literature pertaining to the pathogenesis of IRIS. RECENT FINDINGS: The clinical manifestations of IRIS are heterogeneous due to the variety of opportunistic infections that are associated with this inflammatory syndrome. However, the disproportionate inflammation is a defining hallmark for which common mechanisms are suspected. Lymphopenia-induced proliferation in the context of systemic immune activation, presence of high antigenic exposure and a wider availability of interleukin-7 contribute to the exacerbated immune response underlying IRIS. Defect in pathogen clearance by phagocytes might favor high pathogen burden, which in turn is thought to activate both innate immune cells and pathogen-specific T cells upon correction of the CD4 T-cell lymphopenia, predisposing to IRIS. This common scenario might be further invigorated by functional impairments among regulatory T cells. SUMMARY: Further insight into the cellular mechanisms driving IRIS is urgently needed. Understanding the relative contribution of distinct effector and regulatory T-cell subsets, and innate immune components to IRIS is required to inspire future therapeutic approaches.

Tyrosine kinase 2 variant influences T lymphocyte polarization and multiple sclerosis susceptibility.

The tyrosine kinase 2 variant rs34536443 has been established as a genetic risk factor for multiple sclerosis in a variety of populations. However, the functional effect of this variant on disease pathogenesis remains unclear. This study replicated the genetic association of tyrosine kinase 2 with multiple sclerosis in a cohort of 1366 French patients and 1802 controls. Furthermore, we assessed the functional consequences of this polymorphism on human T lymphocytes by comparing the reactivity and cytokine profile of T lymphocytes isolated from individuals expressing the protective TYK2(GC) genotype with the disease-associated TYK2(GG) genotype. Our results demonstrate that the protective C allele infers decreased tyrosine kinase 2 activity, and this reduction of activity is associated with a shift in the cytokine profile favouring the secretion of Th2 cytokines. These findings suggest that the rs34536443 variant effect on multiple sclerosis susceptibility might be mediated by deviating T lymphocyte differentiation toward a Th2 phenotype. This impact of tyrosine kinase 2 on effector differentiation is likely to be of wider importance because other autoimmune diseases also have been associated with polymorphisms within tyrosine kinase 2. The modulation of tyrosine kinase 2 activity might therefore represent a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Pathogenesis of the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome affecting the central nervous system in patients infected with HIV.

Anti-retroviral therapy partially restores the immune function of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus, thereby drastically reducing morbidity and mortality. However, the clinical condition of a subset of patients on anti-retroviral therapy secondarily deteriorates due to an inflammatory process termed immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. This condition results from the restoration of the immune system that upon activation can be detrimental to the host. Among the various clinical manifestations, central nervous system involvement is associated with greater morbidity and mortality. This review covers the pathogenesis of this novel neuroinflammatory disease, including the nature of the provoking pathogens and the composition and specificity of the evoked immune responses. Our current perception of this neuroinflammatory disease supports therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating immune aggression without dampening the life-saving restoration of the immune response.

Contribution of CD8 T lymphocytes to the immuno-pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis and its animal models.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by multi-focal demyelination, axonal loss, and immune cell infiltration. Numerous immune mediators are detected within MS lesions, including CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes suggesting that they participate in the related pathogenesis. Although CD4(+) T lymphocytes are traditionally considered the main actors in MS immunopathology, multiple lines of evidence suggest that CD8(+) T lymphocytes are also implicated in the pathogenesis. In this review, we outline the recent literature pertaining to the potential roles of CD8(+) T lymphocytes both in MS and its animal models. The CD8(+) T lymphocytes detected in MS lesions demonstrate characteristics of activated and clonally expanded cells supporting the notion that these cells actively contribute to the observed injury. Moreover, several experimental in vivo models mediated by CD8(+) T lymphocytes recapitulate important features of the human disease. Whether the CD8(+) T cells can induce or aggravate tissue destruction in the CNS needs to be fully explored. Strengthening our understanding of the pathogenic potential of CD8(+) T cells in MS should provide promising new avenues for the treatment of this disabling inflammatory disease.

Transgenic mouse models of multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS) and a frequent cause of neurological disability in young adults. Multifocal inflammatory lesions in the CNS white matter, demyelination, oligodendrocyte loss, axonal damage, as well as astrogliosis represent the histological hallmarks of the disease. These pathological features of MS can be mimicked, at least in part, using animal models. This review discusses the current concepts of the immune effector mechanisms driving CNS demyelination in murine models. It highlights the fundamental contribution of transgenesis in identifying the mediators and mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of MS models.

Cell-cell cooperation at the T helper cell/mast cell immunological synapse.

It has been suggested that mast cells might serve, under certain circumstances, as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) for T cells. However, whether cognate interactions between mast cells and class II-restricted CD4(+) T cells actually occur is still an open question. We addressed this question by using peritoneal cell-derived mast cells (PCMCs) and freshly isolated peritoneal mast cells as APC models. Our results show that in vitro treatment of PCMCs with interferon-gamma and interleukin-4 induced surface expression of mature major histocompatibility complex class II molecules and CD86. When interferon-gamma/interleukin-4-primed PCMCs were used as APCs for CD4(+) T cells, they induced activation of effector T cells but not of their naive counterparts as evidenced by CD69 up-regulation, proliferation, and cytokine production. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that CD4(+) T cells formed immunological synapses and polarized their secretory machinery toward both antigen-loaded PCMCs and freshly isolated peritoneal mast cells. Finally, on cognate interaction with CD4(+) T cells, mast cells lowered their threshold of activation via FcepsilonRI. Our results show that mast cells can establish cognate interactions with class II-restricted helper T cells, implying that they can actually serve as resident APCs in inflamed tissues.

Myelin-specific T cells also recognize neuronal autoantigen in a transgenic mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

We describe here the paradoxical development of spontaneous experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in transgenic mice expressing a myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-specific T cell antigen receptor (TCR) in the absence of MOG. We report that in Mog-deficient mice (Mog-/-), the autoimmune response by transgenic T cells is redirected to a neuronal cytoskeletal self antigen, neurofilament-M (NF-M). Although components of radically different protein classes, the cross-reacting major histocompatibility complex I-Ab-restricted epitope sequences of MOG35-55 and NF-M18-30 share essential TCR contact positions. This pattern of cross-reaction is not specific to the transgenic TCR but is also commonly seen in MOG35-55-I-Ab-reactive T cells. We propose that in the C57BL/6 mouse, MOG and NF-M response components add up to overcome the general resistance of this strain to experimental induction of autoimmunity. Similar cumulative responses against more than one autoantigen may have a role in spontaneously developing human autoimmune diseases.

Invariant NKT cells inhibit development of the Th17 lineage.

T cells differentiate into functionally distinct effector subsets in response to pathogen encounter. Cells of the innate immune system direct this process; CD1d-restricted invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells, for example, can either promote or inhibit Th(1) and Th(2) responses. Recently, a new subset of CD4(+) T helper cells, called Th(17), was identified that is implicated in mucosal immunity and autoimmune disorders. To investigate the influence of iNKT cells on the differentiation of naïve T cells we used an adoptive transfer model of traceable antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells. Transferred naïve CD25(-)CD62L(+) CD4(+) T cells were primed by antigen immunization of the recipient mice, permitting their expansion and Th(17) differentiation. This study establishes that in vivo activation of iNKT cells during T-cell priming impedes the commitment of naïve T cells to the Th(17) lineage. In vivo cytokine neutralization experiments revealed a role for IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-gamma in the iNKT-cell-mediated regulation of T-cell lineage development. Moreover, by comparing IL-17 production by antigen-experienced T cells from unmanipulated wild-type mice and iNKT-cell-deficient mice, we demonstrate an enhanced Th(17) response in mice lacking iNKT cells. This invigorated Th(17) response reverts to physiological levels when iNKT cells are introduced into Jalpha18(-/-) mice by adoptive transfer, indicating that iNKT cells control the Th(17) compartment at steady state. We conclude that iNKT cells play an important role in limiting development of the Th(17) lineage and suggest that iNKT cells provide a natural barrier against Th(17) responses.

Invariant NKT cells regulate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and infiltrate the central nervous system in a CD1d-independent manner.

Invariant NKT cells are CD1d-restricted T cells specific for glycolipid Ags. Their activation or transgenic enrichment abrogates the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Herein, we demonstrate that in NKT-enriched mice the protection from EAE is associated with the infiltration of NKT cells in the CNS and the local expression of CD1d. This indicates that the CNS acquires the potential for local glycolipid presentation when exposed to inflammatory stress, permitting the triggering of NKT cells. To address the importance of CD1d-mediated Ag presentation, we used transgenic mice that express CD1d solely in the thymus. Interestingly, enrichment of NKT cells in these mice also conferred resistance to EAE, with an efficacy indistinguishable from that of NKT-enriched CD1d-sufficient mice. This protection was due to an abrogation of the encephalitogenic Th1 and Th17 response in the spleen, revealing that endogenous glycolipid presentation is dispensable for the regulatory function of NKT cells in EAE. Moreover, abrogating extrathymic CD1d expression failed to affect both the recruitment of NKT cells and their effector phenotype. CNS-infiltrating NKT cells were characterized by a cytotoxic IFN-gamma(high)IL-4(low)IL-10(low)granzyme B(high) profile, irrespective of the local expression of CD1d. Glycolipid Ag presentation is therefore dispensable for the control of autoimmune demyelination by NKT cells, underlining the importance of alternative cognate and/or soluble factors in the control of NKT cell function.

Cutting edge: Multiple sclerosis-like lesions induced by effector CD8 T cells recognizing a sequestered antigen on oligodendrocytes.

CD8 T cells are emerging as important players in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis, although their direct contribution to tissue damage is still debated. To assess whether autoreactive CD8 T cells can contribute to the pronounced loss of oligodendrocytes observed in MS plaques, we generated mice in which the model Ag influenza hemagglutinin is selectively expressed in oligodendrocytes. Transfer of preactivated hemagglutinin-specific CD8 T cells led to inflammatory lesions in the optic nerve, spinal cord, and brain. These lesions, associating CD8 T cell infiltration with focal loss of oligodendrocytes, demyelination, and microglia activation, were very reminiscent of active MS lesions. Thus, our study demonstrates the potential of CD8 T cells to induce oligodendrocyte lysis in vivo as a likely consequence of direct Ag-recognition. These results provide new insights with regard to CNS tissue damage mediated by CD8 T cells and for understanding the role of CD8 T cells in MS.