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Study findings from University of Pittsburgh provide new insights into arthritis



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This article was published in Pain & Central Nervous System Week, which you can subscribe to online.
2007 NOV 19 -- "In this study, we demonstrate that genetically modified bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DC) and exosomes derived from the DC, expressing either secreted IL-4 or membrane-bound IL-4, can reduce the severity and the incidence of established collagen-induced arthritis and inhibit inflammation of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) in mice. The ability of the DC and DC-derived exosomes to suppress the DTH response was MHC class II and, in part, Fas ligand/Fas dependent," scientists in the United States report.

"The DC-derived exosomes were internalized by CD11c(+) DC in the dermis at the site of injection and in the draining lymph node as well as by CD11c(+) DC and F4/80(+) macrophages in the spleen. Moreover, adoptive transfer of CD11c(+) or CD3(+) splenic cells from mice treated with exosomes showed significant reduction of footpad swelling in the DTH model. These results demonstrate that administration of DC/IL-4 or exosomes derived from DC/IL-4 are able to modulate the activity of APC and T cells in vivo through a MHC class II and partly Fas ligand/Fas-dependent mechanism, resulting in effective treatment of established collagen-induced arthritis and suppression of the DTH inflammatory response," wrote S.H. Kim and colleagues, University of Pittsburgh.

The researchers concluded: "Thus, APC-derived exosomes could be used therapeutically for the treatment of autoimmune disease and inflammatory disorders."

Kim and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Immunology (Effective treatment of inflammatory disease models with exosomes derived from dendritic cells genetically modified to express IL-4. Journal of Immunology, 2007;179(4):2242-2249).

For more information, contact P.D. Robbins, University of Pittsburgh, Dept. of Molecular Genetics & Biochemistry, School Medical, W1246 BST, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.

Publisher contact information for the Journal of Immunology is: American Association Immunologists, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.

Keywords: United States, Pittsburgh, Arthritis, University of Pittsburgh.

This article was prepared by Pain & Central Nervous System Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Pain & Central Nervous System Week via NewsRx.com.