Open AccessExpression of RhoA by inflammatory macrophages and T cells in rat experimental autoimmune neuritis
Author(s) -
Zhang Zhiren,
Fauser Uwe,
Schluesener Hermann J.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2007.00004.x
Subject(s) - rhoa , infiltration (hvac) , microbiology and biotechnology , neuritis , immunohistochemistry , chemistry , pathology , immunology , biology , medicine , neuroscience , signal transduction , materials science , composite material
RhoA is one of the best‐studied members of Rho GTPases. Experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN), which is characterized by infiltration of T cells and macrophages into the peripheral nervous system, is an autoantigen‐specific T‐cell‐mediated animal model of human Guillain‐BarrŽ Syndrome. In this study, RhoA expression has been investigated in the dorsal/ventral roots of EAN rats by immunohistochemistry. A significant accumulation of RhoA + cells was observed on Day 12, with a maximum around Day 15, correlating to the clinical severity of EAN. In dorsal/ventral roots of EAN, RhoA + cells were seen in perivascular areas but also in the parenchyma. Furthermore, double‐labelling experiments showed that the major cellular sources of RhoA were reactive macrophages and T cells. In conclusion, this is the first demonstration of the presence of RhoA in the dorsal/ventral roots of EAN. The time courses and cellular sources of RhoA together with the functions of RhoA indicate that RhoA may function to facilitate macrophage and T‐cell infiltration in EAN and therefore could be a potential therapeutic target.