γδ T cells express activation markers in the central nervous system of mice with chronic-relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

In this study, we assessed the expression of activation markers on gammadelta T cells in central nervous system (CNS) lesions of SJL mice adoptively sensitized to develop experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) using myelin basic protein-reactive T cells. Although disease expression is known to be dependent upon T cells that express the alphabeta T cell receptor (TCR), a role for gammadelta T cells has been implicated in some studies but not in others. Using three-color flow cytometric analysis of both total and gammadelta T cells in spleen and CNS, the data showed that expression of CD69 (early activation marker), CD62L (lymphocyte homing receptor), CD25 (IL-2Ralpha), CD122 (IL-2Rbeta) and CD95/CD95L (Fas/FasL), fluctuated on gammadelta T cells in EAE lesions in a disease-related fashion. Furthermore, the pattern of expression for these markers on gammadelta T cells was distinct from that found on the total lymphocyte population. Cytokine analysis of gammadelta T cells in the CNS demonstrated a bias towards a Th1-like cytokine profile. From these data, we conclude that gammadelta T cells in EAE lesions display an activated phenotype and form a dynamic component of the total lymphocyte population in the CNS, supporting a contributory role for these cells. (C) 2001 Academic Press.