role of th1 and th17 cd4+ t cell subsets in the pathogenesis of ...

THESIS PLANNING
The present thesis is organized in six Chapters, where Chapters 3 to 5 correspond to
different scientific studies.
In Chapter 1, a general introduction to the different themes is presented. It includes a
review of the literature focused in the field of the autoimmune disease of Multiple
Sclerosis, the corresponding animal model, Experimental Autoimmune
Encephalomyelitis and the cells and molecules that contribute to the pathogenesis.
In Chapter 2, all the material and methods used and developed in this thesis are
described.
In Chapter 3, entitled “IN VIVO ANALYSIS OF TH1 AND TH17 CELLS IN ADOPTIVE
TRANSFER EAE”, the pathogenic roles of auto‐reactive Th1 and Th7 CD4 subsets are
discussed in the context of the autoimmune model of EAE.
In Chapter 4, entitled, “EVALUATION OF CYTOTOXIC POTENTIAL OF HELPER CD4 + T CELL
SUBSETS ON BRAIN RESIDENT ASTROCYTES”, auto‐reactive Th1 and Th17 cells are
characterized in terms of cytotoxicity to astrocytes, important CNS resident cells.
In Chapter 5, entitled “MICROARRAY ANALYSIS IN T CELLS: Th1 VS. TH17”, it is
addressed the validation of one gene, Rev‐Erbα, found to differently regulated by Th1
and Th17 cells in a microarray analysis.
In chapter 6, a general discussion and conclusion is established of the three described
studies.
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