Stimulation of Adult Oligodendrogenesis by Myelin-Specific T Cells

In multiple sclerosis (MS), myelin-specific T cells are normally associated with destruction of myelin and axonal damage. However, in acute MS plaque, remyelination occurs concurrent with T-cell infiltration, which raises the question of whether T cells might stimulate myelin repair. We investigated the effect of myelin-specific T cells on oligodendrocyte formation at sites of axonal damage in the mouse hippocampal dentate gyrus. Infiltrating T cells specific for myelin proteolipid protein stimulated proliferation of chondroitin sulfate NG2-expressing oligodendrocyte precursor cells early after induction via axonal transection, resulting in a 25% increase in the numbers of oligodendrocytes. In contrast, T cells specific for ovalbumin did not stimulate the formation of new oligodendrocytes. In addition, infiltration of myelin-specific T cells enhanced the sprouting response of calretinergic associational/commissural fibers within the dentate gyrus. These results have implications for the perception of MS pathogenesis because they show that infiltrating myelin-specific T cells can stimulate oligodendrogenesis in the adult central nervous system.