Elevated Bcl-X(L) levels correlate with T cell survival in multiple sclerosis

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Item Type:	Article
Title:	Elevated Bcl-X(L) levels correlate with T cell survival in multiple sclerosis
Creators Name:	Waiczies, S., Weber, A., Luenemann, J.D., Aktas, O., Zschenderlein, R. and Zipp, F.
Abstract:	T cell resistance towards apoptotic elimination by activation-induced cell death (AICD) might be a crucial pathogenic feature of multiple sclerosis (MS). Since the Bcl-2 family is critically involved in the regulation of apoptosis, we investigated the protein expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-X(L), and Bax in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 23 MS patients and 29 control subjects. An in vitro model of AICD, which exemplifies the elimination of antigen-reactive T cells in vivo, was used as an indication of T cell susceptibility or resistance towards apoptosis. Increased expression of the survival factor Bcl-X(L), which directly correlated with a resistance towards AICD, was observed in peripheral immune cells of MS patients. In contrast to Bcl-X(L), no differences were found in the protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bax between patients and controls. Our data indicate that the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-X(L), responsible for T cell resistance towards apoptosis, might be an important factor in the MS pathogenesis and a potential target for therapeutic intervention.
Keywords:	Bcl-XL, Activation-Induced Cell Death, Multiple Sclerosis
Source:	Journal of Neuroimmunology
ISSN:	0165-5728
Publisher:	Elsevier
Volume:	126
Number:	1-2
Page Range:	213-220
Date:	May 2002
Official Publication:	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-5728(02)00067-X
PubMed:	View item in PubMed

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