Secondary B Cell Receptor Diversification Is Necessary for T Cell Mediated Neuro-Inflammation during Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Background: Clinical studies of B cell depletion in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have revealed that B Lymphocytes are involved in the neuro-inflammatory process, yet it remains unclear how B cells can exert pro- and anti-inflammatory functions during MS. Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model of MS whereby myelin-specific T cells become activated and subsequently migrate to the Central Nervous System (CNS) where they perform pro-inflammatory functions such as cytokine secretion. Typically EAE is induced by immunization of mice of a susceptible genetic background with peptide antigen emulsified in Complete Freund's Adjuvant. However, novel roles for B-lymphocytes in EAE may also be explored by immunization with full-length myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) that contains the B cell conformational epitope. Here we show that full length MOG immunization promotes a chronic disease in mice that depends on antigen-driven secondary diversification of the B cell receptor. Methods: Activation-Induced Deaminase (AID) is an enzyme that is essential for antigen-driven secondary diversification of the B cell receptor. We immunized AID(-/-) mice with the extracellular domain (amino acids 1-120) of recombinant human MOG protein (rhMOG) and examined the incidence and severity of disease in AID(-/-) versus wild type mice. Corresponding with these clinical measurements, we also evaluated parameters of T cell activation in the periphery and the CNS as well as the generation of anti-MOG antibodies (Ab). Conclusions: AID(-/-) mice exhibit reduced severity and incidence of EAE. This suggests that the secondary diversification of the B cell receptor is required for B cells to exert their full encephalogenic potential during rhMOG-induced EAE, and possibly also during MS.