Journal article

Effect of thymic stimulation of CD4 T cell expansion on disease onset and progression in mutant SOD1 mice

Rebecca K Sheean, Richard H Weston, Nirma D Perera, Angela D'Amico, Stephen L Nutt, Bradley J Turner

JOURNAL OF NEUROINFLAMMATION | BMC | Published : 2015

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The peripheral immune system is implicated in modulating microglial activation, neurodegeneration and disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Specifically, there is reduced thymic function and regulatory T cell (Treg) number in ALS patients and mutant superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mice, while passive transfer of Tregs ameliorates disease in mutant SOD1 mice. Here, we assessed the effects of augmenting endogenous CD4+ T cell number by stimulating the thymus using surgical castration on the phenotype of transgenic SOD1(G93A) mice. METHOD: Male SOD1(G93A) mice were castrated or sham operated, and weight loss, disease onset and progression were examined. Thymus at..

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Grants

Awarded by Australian National Health and Medical Research Council


Funding Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Rachel Hill and Daniel Drieberg for expert technical assistance and advice. We also thank Katherine Lewis for useful advice. This work was supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (Project Grant 1008910), the MND Research Institute of Australia (Mick Rodger Benalla and Susie Harris Memorial Fund MND Research Grants), the Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation, the Cavalier Courage MND Research Grant and the Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support Grant.