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Dynamics of the meningeal CD4+ T-cell repertoire are defined by the cervical lymph nodes and facilitate cognitive task performance in mice

Molecular Psychiatry volume 19, pages 531–532 (2014)Cite this article

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The traditional view of the central nervous system (CNS) as an immune-privileged organ yielded a longstanding perception of such interactions—as seen, for example, in multiple sclerosis1, 2—as intrinsically destructive. This notion is changing with the identification of several homeostatic functions attributable to beneficial T-cell/CNS interaction,3 for example, in hippocampal-dependent learning4 and stress response paradigms,5 and in models of neurodegeneration and CNS injury.6 Here we provide insights into the maintenance and dynamics of the meningeal T-cell repertoire. We show that meningeal T-cell composition is coupled to the CNS-draining deep cervical lymph nodes (dCLNs), whose surgical removal interrupted the normal flow of meningeal T cells and resulted in cognitive impairment.

We recently identified the meninges, which envelopes the outer and ventricular surfaces of the brain and spinal cord, as a candidate site for beneficial T-cell interaction with the CNS.3 The meninges are permissive to circulating lymphocytes, harbor MHCII-expressing cell types, and are well situated to broadly affect CNS function.3, 7, 8

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience, Center for Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG), University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    A Radjavi, I Smirnov, N Derecki & J Kipnis

  2. Microbiology Infectious Disease and Immunology Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    A Radjavi & J Kipnis

Authors
  1. A Radjavi
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  2. I Smirnov
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  3. N Derecki
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  4. J Kipnis
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Correspondence to J Kipnis.

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Radjavi, A., Smirnov, I., Derecki, N. et al. Dynamics of the meningeal CD4+ T-cell repertoire are defined by the cervical lymph nodes and facilitate cognitive task performance in mice. Mol Psychiatry 19, 531–532 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2013.79

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