ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the immunomodulatory mechanism of 2-(-2-benzofuranyl )-2-imidazoline(2-BFI) in rat model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).Methods Fifty fe-male Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were randomly divided into five groups by random digit table , including con-trol group(n=10), EAE model group(n=10), low dose 2-BFI group(1.5 mg/kg, n=10), median dose 2-BFI group (3 mg/kg, n=10) and high dose 2-BFI group (6 mg/kg, n=10).The SD rat model of EAE was induced by immunizing with a guinea pigs′spinal cord homogenate ( GPSCH ) .The severity of EAE was scored according to the signs and symptoms .Pathological changes were observed through Hematoxylin-eosin staining, and then the degrees of inflammatory infiltration were evaluated .The number of activated neuroglia that expressed GFAP and iba 1 in lumbar cords was counted by immunohistochemistry .The expressions of IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 in cervical cords were measured by ELISA .Results Compared with EAE group, rats in the low, median and high dose 2-BFI treatment group had lower incidence of EAE , prolonged latency and decreased CNS inflammation , but only the median dose group showed significant alleviation in clinical symptoms and decrease in CNS inflammatory cell infiltration (P<0.05).Immunohistochemical re-sults showed that the numbers of activated microglia were significantly inhibited ,but the numbers of activated astroglia were increased in the rats treated with median dose of 2-BFI in comparison with the EAE group ( P<0.05).Results of ELISA demonstrated that expressions of IL-1βand IFN-γin 3 mg/kg 2-BFI treated group were significantly decreased compared with that in the EAE group (P<0.05), but expressions of IL-4 and IL-10 were remarkably increased(P<0.05).Conclusion 2-BFI at median dose of 3 mg/kg has a benefi-cial neuroprotective effect on rats with EAE , and its mechanism might be related to immunodulation .