scholarly journals Combined treatment with ribavirin and tiazofurin attenuates response of glial cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

2012 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 843-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danijela Savic ◽  
Irena Lavrnja ◽  
Sanja Dacic ◽  
Ivana Bjelobaba ◽  
Nadezda Nedeljkovic ◽  
...  

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a human inflammatory and demyelinating disease. Microglia and astrocytes are glial cells of the central nervous system (CNS) that play a dual role in MS and EAE pathology. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of combined treatment with two nucleoside analogues, ribavirin and tiazofurin, on microglia and astrocytes in actively induced EAE. Therapeutic treatment with a combination of these two nucleoside analogues reduced disease severity, mononuclear cell infiltration and demyelination. The obtained histological results indicate that ribavirin and tiazofurin changed activated microglia into an inactive type and attenuated astrocyte reactivity at the end of the treatment period. Since reduction of reactive microgliosis and astrogliosis correlated with EAE suppression, the present study also suggests that the obtained beneficial effect of ribavirin and tiazofurin could be a consequence of their action inside as well as outside the CNS.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Calvo-Barreiro ◽  
Herena Eixarch ◽  
Thais Cornejo ◽  
Carme Costa ◽  
Mireia Castillo ◽  
...  

SummaryGut microbiome studies in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are unravelling some consistent but modest patterns of gut dysbiosis. Among these, a significant decrease of Clostridia cluster IV and XIVa has been reported. In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of a previously selected mixture of human gut-derived 17 Clostridia strains, which belong to Clostridia clusters IV, XIVa, and XVIII, on the clinical outcome of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The observed clinical improvement was related to lower demyelination and astrocyte reactivity as well as a tendency to lower microglia reactivity/infiltrating macrophages and axonal damage in the central nervous system (CNS), and to an enhanced immunoregulatory response of regulatory T cells in the periphery. Transcriptome studies also highlighted increased antiinflammatory responses related to interferon beta in the periphery and lower immune responses in the CNS. Since Clostridia-treated mice were found to present higher levels of the immunomodulatory short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) butyrate in the serum, we studied if this clinical effect could be reproduced by butyrate administration alone. Further EAE experiments proved its preventive but slight therapeutic impact on CNS autoimmunity. Thus, this smaller therapeutic effect highlighted that the Clostridia-induced clinical effect was not exclusively related to the SCFA and could not be reproduced by butyrate administration alone. Although it is still unknown if these Clostridia strains will have the same effect on MS patients, gut dysbiosis in MS patients could be partially rebalanced by these commensal bacteria and their immunoregulatory properties could have a beneficial effect on MS clinical course.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ani Grigorian ◽  
Michael Demetriou

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating and neurodegenerative disease initiated by autoreactive T cells. Mgat5, a gene in the Asn (N-) linked protein glycosylation pathway, associates with MS severity and negatively regulates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and spontaneous inflammatory demyelination in mice. N-glycan branching by Mgat5 regulates interaction of surface glycoproteins with galectins, forming a molecular lattice that differentially controls the concentration of surface glycoproteins. T-cell receptor signaling, T-cell proliferation, TH1 differentiation, and CTLA-4 endocytosis are inhibited by Mgat5 branching. Non-T cells also contribute to MS pathogenesis and express abundant Mgat5 branched N-glycans. Here we explore whether Mgat5 deficiency in myelin-reactive T cells is sufficient to promote demyelinating disease. Adoptive transfer of myelin-reactive Mgat5−/− T cells into Mgat5+/+ versus Mgat5−/− recipients revealed more severe EAE in the latter, suggesting that Mgat5 branching deficiency in recipient naive T cells and/or non-T cells contribute to disease pathogenesis.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Barclay ◽  
M. Elizabeth Deerhake ◽  
Makoto Inoue ◽  
Toshiaki Nonaka ◽  
Kengo Nozaki ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTInflammasomes are a class of innate immune signaling platforms that activate in response to an array of cellular damage and pathogens. Inflammasomes promote inflammation under many circumstances to enhance immunity against pathogens and inflammatory responses through their effector cytokines, IL-1β and IL-18. Multiple sclerosis and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), are such autoimmune conditions influenced by inflammasomes. Despite work investigating inflammasomes during EAE, little remains known concerning the role of inflammasomes in the central nervous system (CNS) during the disease. Here we use multiple genetically modified mouse models to monitor activated inflammasomes in situ based on ASC oligomerization in the spinal cord. Using inflammasome reporter mice, we found heightened inflammasome activation in astrocytes after the disease peak. In contrast, microglia and CNS-infiltrated myeloid cells had few activated inflammasomes in the CNS during EAE. Astrocyte inflammasome activation was dependent on AIM2, but low IL-1β expression and no significant signs of cell death were found in astrocytes during EAE. Thus, the AIM2 inflammasome activation in astrocytes may have a distinct role from traditional inflammasome-mediated inflammation.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTInflammasome activation in the peripheral immune system is pathogenic in multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). However, inflammasome activity in the central nervous system (CNS) is largely unexplored. Here, we used genetically modified mice to determine inflammasome activation in the CNS during EAE. Our data indicated heightened AIM2 inflammasome activation in astrocytes after the disease peak. Unexpectedly, neither CNS-infiltrated myeloid cells nor microglia were the primary cells with activated inflammasomes in SC during EAE. Despite AIM2 inflammasome activation, astrocytes did not undergo apparent cell death and produced little of the proinflammatory cytokine, IL-1β, during EAE. This study showed that CNS inflammasome activation occurs during EAE without associating with IL-1β-mediated inflammation.


1998 ◽  
Vol 187 (9) ◽  
pp. 1543-1548 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Lobell ◽  
Robert Weissert ◽  
Maria K. Storch ◽  
Cecilia Svanholm ◽  
Katrien L. de Graaf ◽  
...  

We explore here if vaccination with DNA encoding an autoantigenic peptide can suppress autoimmune disease. For this purpose we used experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), which is an autoaggressive disease in the central nervous system and an animal model for multiple sclerosis. Lewis rats were vaccinated with DNA encoding an encephalitogenic T cell epitope, guinea pig myelin basic protein peptide 68–85 (MBP68–85), before induction of EAE with MBP68–85 in complete Freund's adjuvant. Compared to vaccination with a control DNA construct, the vaccination suppressed clinical and histopathological signs of EAE, and reduced the interferon γ production after challenge with MBP68–85. Targeting of the gene product to Fc of IgG was essential for this effect. There were no signs of a Th2 cytokine bias. Our data suggest that DNA vaccines encoding autoantigenic peptides may be useful tools in controlling autoimmune disease.


2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maiara Carolina Perussolo ◽  
Bassam Felipe Mogharbel ◽  
Lucia de Noronha ◽  
Katherine Athayde Teixeira de Carvalho

Abstract Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, characterized as an inflammatory demyelinating disease. It presents a diversity of neurologic signs and symptoms as well the incapacities. Since the need for advances in MS treatment, many studies are for new therapeutic technologies, mainly through using preclinical models as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). This study aimed to observe and analyze the development in Lewis rats-induced model of EAE. Methods It was used 23 females of Rattus norvegicus, from 6 to 8 weeks, weighing around 170 g. Of 23 rats, 19 underwent EAE induction distributed in six groups to establish the evolution of clinical signs. B. pertussis toxin (PTX) doses were 200, 250, 300, 350–400 ng, and four animals as the control group. The animals had weight and scores analyzed daily, starting seven and ending 24 days after induction. Then, all animals were euthanized, and the brain and spinal cord were collected for histopathological analyses. Results The results showed that the dose of 250 ng of PTX induced de higher score and weight reduction. All groups who received the PTX demonstrated histopathological findings. Those characterized as leukocyte infiltration, activation of microglia and astrocytes, and demyelinated plaques in the brain. In the spinal cord, the loosening of the myelinated fibers was observed by increasing the axonal space in all tested doses of PTX. Conclusions EAE was not dose-dependent. Histopathological findings do not proportionally related to clinical signs, as in human patients with MS.


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