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Copyright © 2009 Lindvall et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. Dissection of a locus on mouse chromosome 5 reveals arthritis promoting and inhibitory genes 1Department of Experimental Medical Science, Unit for Medical Inflammation Research, BMC I11, Lund University, S-221 84 Lund, Sweden 2Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Copenhagen University, Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark 3Current address: Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 675 S. Charles E. Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA Corresponding author.Therese Lindvall: therese.lindvall/at/med.lu.se; Jenny Karlsson: Jkarlsson/at/ucla.edu; Rikard Holmdahl: rikard.holmdahl/at/med.lu.se; Åsa Andersson: aaa/at/farma.ku.dk Received July 18, 2008; Revisions requested August 9, 2008; Revised December 2, 2008; Accepted January 20, 2009. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Abstract Introduction In a cross between two mouse strains, the susceptible B10.RIII (H-2r) and resistant RIIIS/J (H-2r) strains, a locus on mouse chromosome 5 (Eae39) was previously shown to control experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Recently, quantitative trait loci (QTL), linked to disease in different experimental arthritis models, were mapped to this region. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether genes within Eae39, in addition to EAE, control development of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Methods CIA, induced by immunisation with bovine type II collagen, was studied in Eae39 congenic and sub-interval congenic mice. Antibody titres were investigated with ELISA. Gene-typing was performed by micro-satellite mapping and statistics was calculated by standard methods. Results Experiments of CIA in Eae39 congenic- and sub-interval congenic mice, carrying RIIIS/J genes on the B10.RIII genetic background, revealed three loci within Eae39 that control disease and anti-collagen antibody titres. Two of the loci promoted disease and the third locus was protected against CIA development. By further breeding of mice with small congenic fragments, we identified a 3.2 mega base pair (Mbp) interval that regulates disease. Conclusions Disease-promoting and disease-protecting genes within the Eae39 locus on mouse chromosome 5 control susceptibility to CIA. A disease-protecting locus in the telomeric part of Eae39 results in lower anti-collagen antibody responses. The study shows the importance of breeding sub-congenic mouse strains to reveal genetic effects on complex diseases. Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are complex inflammatory autoimmune disorders in which genetic and environmental factors contribute to disease development [1]. RA is characterised by peripheral joint inflammation, cartilage and bone destruction and, subsequently, joint deformation. In MS, the myelin and axons are affected by inflammation within the CNS often leading to severe neurological dysfunction. The disease-causing mechanisms remain unknown, although it is known that the aetiology is dependent on multiple genetic and environmental factors. To date, only a few genes have been associated with susceptibility to RA [2-4] and MS [5,6]. The most commonly used animal model for RA is collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) [7]. The B10.RIII (H-2r) mouse strain develops poly-arthritis after immunisation with bovine type II collagen, whereas the RIIIS/J mouse strain, having the same major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotype (H-2r), is resistant to poly-arthritis development. Induction of CIA is dependent on genes within the MHC, but as previously shown in crosses between B10.RIII and RIIIS/J mice, non-MHC genes also play an important role in susceptibility to disease [8-10]. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), widely used as an animal model for MS. The B10.RIII strain is susceptible to EAE induced by the myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide 89–101 [11]. From studies of crosses between B10.RIII and RIIIS/J (resistant to EAE development), a number of non-MHC quantitative trait loci (QTLs), linked to EAE susceptibility, have been reported [12-14]. In one study, the Eae39 locus on mouse chromosome 5 was linked to acute EAE [13]. The inheritance pattern showed that RIIIS/J genes were dominantly protective. The Eae39 locus is the only QTL linked to EAE on mouse chromosome 5, but six QTLs linked to disease in arthritis models have been identified on this chromosome: Cia13, Cia14 and Cia27 for CIA [15,16], Pgia16 for proteoglycan-induced arthritis [17], and Bbaa3 and Bbaa2 for Borrelia burgdorferi-associated arthritis [18]. The Eae39 locus was identified as a genetic region of about 30 mega base pairs (Mbp). In order to further investigate the genetic control of disease in the B10.RIII/RIIIS/J model, we have studied CIA in Eae39 and Eae39 sub-interval congenic mice. We observed three different inheritance patterns associated with arthritis development, which argues that there are at least three genes in Eae39 that are important for the development of inflammatory disease. Two of the loci, located within a distance of a few Mbp, contain genes that, depending on the allele, either protect from or promote disease. This suggests a balancing effect by closely located genes on disease susceptibility that is revealed when QTLs are split into smaller fragments. Materials and methods Animals C57Bl/10.RIII (B10.RIII) were originally provided by J. Klein (Tübingen, Germany), and kept in the breeding colony at the Department of Medical Inflammation Research, Lund University. RIIIS/J animals were purchased from The Jackson Laboratory (Bar Harbor, ME). The Eae39 congenic mice (C1, Figure Figure1)1
Induction and evaluation of collagen-induced arthritis Bovine type II collagen was prepared from calf nasal cartilage by pepsin digestion and was purified as previously described [19]. CIA was induced by intra-dermal immunisation at the base of the mouse's tail with 100 μg bovine CII emulsified in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) (Difco, Detroit, MI, USA). The mice were boosted 35 days later with 50 μg bovine CII emulsified in IFA. The mice, ranging in age between 10 and 24 weeks, were all immunised the same day. Clinical disease was monitored once or twice a week according to a scoring system based on the number of inflamed joints. Each inflamed toe or knuckle was given a score of one and an inflamed wrist or ankle was given five points. Each mouse could in total get 15 points per limb and a maximum score of 60. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated as the sum of scores for each individual mouse during a defined test period. The mean maximum score, representing disease severity, was calculated as the mean of the maximum score of all sick mice in the respective groups. Antibody measurement Blood was collected on day 14, 21 or day 54 after immunisation. Sera were prepared and stored at -20°C until assayed. ELISA was used to determine levels of antibodies against collagen type II. Plates (Nunc maxisorp, Roskilde, Denmark) were coated with bovine CII (10 μg/ml) in PBS (pH 9) and blocked with 1% BSA. Immunoglobulin (Ig) M, IgG1, IgG2c, IgG3 and total Ig levels were measured using biotinylated secondary antibodies: goat anti-mouse IgM (No. 1020-08); IgG1 (No.1070-08); IgG2c (No. 1079-04); IgG3 (No. 1100-08); and total Ig (No. 1010-08) (Southern Biotechnologies Associates, Birmingham, AL, USA). Binding of biotinylated antibodies was revealed by Extravidin Peroxidase (No. E-2886) (Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, MO, USA). Plates were developed with ABTS: 2,2'-Azino-di-[3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonate (6)] diammonium salt (Roche, Mannheim, Germany). Pooled sera were used as a standard and the antibody levels were measured as arbitrary concentrations. Genotyping and linkage analysis Genomic DNA was isolated from toe or tail biopsies. The biopsies were dissolved in 500 μl of 50 mM sodium hydroxide for one to two hours at 95°C, and subsequently neutralised with 100 μl 1 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8). To perform a standard 10 μl PCR, 1 μl of the solution was used. The PCR products were analysed on a MegaBACE DNA analysis system 1000 (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, Little Chalfont, UK), according to the manufacturer's protocol. Fifteen informative fluorescence-labelled micro-satellite markers (Interactiva Biotechnologie, Ulm, Germany and MWG Biotech, Ebersberg, Germany) were used to genotype the Eae39 congenic fragment. Linkage analysis and permutation tests were conducted as previously described [13]. Sub-congenic mice were genotyped with additional micro-satellite markers, where some markers are made in-house: D5acacbhm4 (114.42 Mbp, forward primer (FP) 5'-CCCTGTAGAAGACTGGGAATTG-3, reverse primer (RP) 5'-TCCAGGACAGTCAGGGCTAC-3'), D5taokhm12 (117.53 Mbp, FP: 5'-TCAGGGCTCCATGCACTT-3', RP: 5'-CACAAGTGGCTCTCAGTGCT-3), D5sdshm18 (120.74 Mbp, FP: 5'-GGGGAACACAAGGAGTTTGA-3', RP: 5'-ATTCAAGGGCATGTGTGTGA-3'). Results Eae39 controls collagen-induced arthritis The Eae39 locus on mouse chromosome 5 (Figure (Figure1)1 To further investigate the Eae39 locus, a 65 Mbp RIIIS/J fragment was bred into the B10.RIII genome to establish a BR. Eae39RIIIS/Jcongenic strain (Figure (Figure1).1
Next, we intercrossed C1 heterozygous mice in order to get offspring with overlapping congenic fragments (Figure (Figure3)3
In Table 2, correlation between the disease severity phenotype AUC, day 50 to 73 after immunisation, and genotype is shown. The AUC is the sum of scores for each individual mouse during a defined test period and describes the development of disease in terms of onset, duration and severity. In line with the disease incidence data (Table 1), RIIIS/J alleles at D5Mit113 promoted disease, whereas one RIIIS/J allele at about 120 Mbp (D5Mit136, D5Mit367) almost completely protected from CIA (Table 2). From these results we conclude that Eae39 harbors genes that, in addition to controlling EAE, are important for susceptibility to CIA, and that the region contains genes operating in different directions in the disease development. In humans, women are more affected by RA than men. The sex influence on susceptibility to CIA is, however, normally the opposite in mice. In the first investigation of CIA development in mice with overlapping Eae39 sub-interval congenic fragments, we observed that female congenic mice had the same, or slightly higher, incidence of disease compared with male mice (Table 1). Severity of CIA (mean maximum score) was the same, except for females homozygous for B10.RIII alleles (b/b) at marker D5Mit136, in which the severity was higher (p < 0.05) compared with male mice (Table 1). From the original mapping experiment, Eae39 was linked to development of acute EAE in male mice [13]. For this reason, and in order to keep the number of mice used to a minimum, we decided to continue the present study with male mice only. The collagen type II antibody response is controlled by genes in the Eae39 locus In an F2 cross between the arthritis susceptible DBA/1J and the resistant FVB/N strains, it was recently shown that the Cia27 locus controls anti-collagen type II IgG2a antibody levels [16]. To investigate the corresponding region within the Eae39 locus for disease phenotypes, we produced mice with smaller, overlapping congenic fragments (C2 to C5) (Figure (Figure4)4
Collagen-induced arthritis development and antibody responses to type II collagen in the C5, C6, C9, C10, and C11 congenic mice Investigation of CIA development in C5 congenic mice showed that mice with one RIIISJ allele in this interval are protected from disease development compared with littermate controls (C5 congenics, incidence = 19%, mean maximum score = 24 ± 9; littermate controls, incidence = 50%, and mean maximum score = 31 ± 3; Table 4 and Figure Figure5b5b
To further dissect the C5 region within the Eae39 locus, we bred congenic mice with overlapping fragments spanning the C5 region (C6, C9-C11) (Figure (Figure5a).5a The anti-collagen type II antibody titre was not significantly lower in mice with the C6 and C9 fragments compared with the controls (Table 5). In the C10 and C11 congenic mice, the collagen type II antibody levels followed the disease course and the antibody concentrations were significantly higher compared with the littermate controls (Table 5).
In conclusion, when splitting up the C5 fragment into smaller intervals, we suggest a disease-controlling gene (or genes) close to the D5Mit317 marker in the upper part of the fragment. This part of C5 is shared with the disease promoting congenic fragments C10 and C11. Although not statistically significant for mice with the C6 fragment, the results from the C6 and C9 congenic mice suggest that a gene conferring protection against CIA development when one RIIIS/J allele is present, is located close to the D5Mit136 marker. In contrast to the C6 fragment, the C9 does not include the promoting gene/genes around the D5Mit317 marker, which could explain why the C9 congenic mice are more protected from disease development. Another possibility would be that there is another protecting gene close to the D5Mit367 marker, which is not present in the C6 fragment. Discussion This study demonstrates that genes within the Eae39 on mouse chromosome 5 control development of CIA, and that this locus contains sub-loci that balance out each other in susceptibility to disease. By subdividing the original locus into smaller congenic intervals, we observe stronger effects on the disease phenotype in either direction. The original locus was defined in EAE, but here we show that Eae39 additionally controls CIA. Several QTLs for disease development in arthritis models have been mapped to this region: CIA (Cia13, Cia14 and Cia27) [15,16], proteoglycan-induced arthritis (Pgia16) [17] and Borrelia burgdorferi-associated arthritis (Bbaa3 and Bbaa2) [18]. The homologous regions in rats and humans have been linked to EAE development [20], pristane-induced arthritis [21], CIA [22] and RA [23,24], MS [25-27] and type 1 diabetes, respectively [28]. This suggests a shared genetic pathway in autoimmune diseases that is controlled by genes in this region. The Eae39 locus was previously identified in a backcross between the B10.RIII and RIIIS/J mouse strains and was shown to control acute EAE in male mice. The inheritance pattern showed that one RIIIS/J allele conferred protection from EAE [13]. We, and others, have previously demonstrated that loci linked to the development of polygenic diseases can consist of several sub-QTLs, operating in an additive fashion or in different directions in the control of the disease trait [9,10,29-32]. In the present study, we suggest that the original Eae39 locus harbors at least three genes that are involved in disease development (Figure (Figure6).6
Splitting up the disease protecting C5 fragment (Figure (Figure5)5 In addition to studies of CIA development in the Eae39 congenic mice, we investigated the antibody response to type II collagen after immunisation. We observed that the C5 congenic mice had lower antibody responses to collagen type II and were protected from disease development. In contrast, mice carrying the disease promoting C10 and C11 congenic fragments had enhanced anti-collagen antibody titres. This may suggest that the same gene(s) influence anti-collagen antibody titres together with the disease phenotype. Interestingly, Yu and colleagues [33] recently reported that the Cia27 locus on mouse chromosome 5 controls anti-collagen IgG2a antibody titres and the CIA disease phenotype. Although Cia27 was defined in an arthritis model with a different disease-inducing protocol and with mouse strains different from the strains used in the present study, it could be speculated that the same gene is operating in the two different models. Cia27 has been confined to 4.1 Mbp, and the peak marker is located at 120 Mbp, which corresponds to the genetic region found to control CIA disease phenotypes and anti-collagen type II antibody responses. Male mice are normally more susceptible to CIA compared with female mice. In the present study, Eae39 sub-interval congenic female mice had as high an incidence of disease as male mice. Gender differences in susceptibility to CIA are believed to be dependent on hormones, genetic factors and behaviour [34]. We recently reported the identification of QTLs linked to CIA susceptibility in multiparous female mice [35], but this study did not reveal any linkage to mouse chromosome 5. Interestingly, the Eae39 locus includes two genes that are involved in the effects of oestrogen signalling; the G protein-coupled oestrogen receptor 1 (Gper, 139.9 Mbp) and oestrogen sulfotransferase (Sult1e1, 88.0 Mbp). The studies of smaller congenic fragments within Eae39 were performed with male mice and the gender susceptibility was not studied further. Investigations addressing any role for polymorphisms between B10.RIII and RIIIS/J in those genes would possibly contribute to the understanding of gender discrepancies in susceptibility to CIA. This study demonstrates that breeding of mice with sub-congenic intervals, containing a limited number of genes, is informative in the dissection of QTLs defined in two-generation-crosses. Furthermore, it demonstrates that genes within the same disease pathways are located a close distance apart in the genome and possibly inherited together. Disease-protective polymorphisms have balancing effects, while a polymorphism in a different genetic context could increase the risk for disease. Conclusion We have located a region in the telomeric part of Eae39 on mouse chromosome 5 that contains genes that control incidence and severity of CIA and serum levels of anti-collagen type II antibodies. In addition, we suggest that this region is influenced by a locus close to the marker D5Mit113 (77.7 Mbp), where B10.RIII alleles together with one RIIIS/J allele at marker D5Mit136 (119.2 Mbp) result in protection from disease. The disease-protecting region in the telomeric part of Eae39 is 3.2 Mbp and includes about 20 genes. Further studies will focus on the role of the genes within this sub-locus in the control of inflammatory disease- and sub-phenotypes. Abbreviations AUC: area under curve; BSA: bovine serum albumin; CIA: collagen-induced arthritis; CNS: central nervous system; EAE: experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis; ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; FP: front primer; IFA: incomplete Freund's adjuvant; Ig: immunoglobulin; Mbp: mega base pairs; MHC: major histocompatibility complex; MS: multiple sclerosis; PBS: phosphate-buffered saline; PCR: polymerase chain reaction; QTL: quantitative trait locus; RA: rheumatoid arthritis; RP: reverse primer. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Authors' contributions TL was responsible for the breeding of congenic mice, carried out the CIA and sub-phenotyping experiments, participated in the design of the study and drafted the manuscript. JK participated in the initial breeding of the congenic mice. RH participated in the design of the study and helped to draft the manuscript. ÅA participated in the design and coordination of the study, and helped to draft the manuscript. Acknowledgements We thank I. Bohlin for help with animal care. This work was supported by grants from the King Gustaf V 80-years Foundation, The Swedish Rheumatism Foundation, The Crafoord Foundation, The Danish Rheumatism Foundation, The Novo Nordisk Foundation, Greta and Johan Kocks Foundation, Österlunds Foundation (ÅA), and from the European Union Grants Autocure (LSHB-2006-018661) and Neuropromise (LSHM-LT-018637) (RH). References
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