Myelin Protein Zero180-199 Peptide Induced Experimental Autoimmune Neuritis in C57BL/6 Mice.

Mouse models of peripheral demyelinating neuropathy play an important role in enabling the study of disease pathogenesis. Further, induction in transgenic mice allows for the precise interrogation of disease mechanisms, as well as the analysis of the efficacy and mechanisms of potential new therapies. Here we describe a method to successfully induce experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) using myelin protein zero (P0)180-199 peptide in combination with Freund's complete adjuvant and pertussis toxin in the C57BL/6 mouse strain. We also outline a sensitive paradigm of accurately assessing the extent of functional deficits occurring in murine EAN.

Suppression of experimental autoimmune optic neuritis by the novel agent fingolimod.

PURPOSE: Fingolimod is an immunomodulating agent that has been approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Fingolimod-phosphate is an antagonist of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor and known to act by preventing infiltration of autoreactive lymphocytes into the central nervous system. In this study, we investigated whether fingolimod prevents experimental autoimmune optic neuritis (EAON). METHODS: EAON was induced by immunizing C57BL/6 mice with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-derived peptide 35-55 (MOG-p). After MOG-p immunization, fingolimod was administered intragastrically from day 1 (entire phase study) or from day 9 (effector phase study) until day 35. Visual acuity of the mice was measured using OptoMotry on days 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 after immunization. On day 35 after immunization, the mice were killed and eyes and entire length of the optic nerves were submitted for histopathologic evaluation. RESULTS: In the positive control group, visual acuity decreased markedly from approximately day 14 after immunization, reaching a nadir on day 21. In the fingolimod-treated groups in both entire phase and effector phase studies, there was only minimal decline in visual acuity on day 14 after immunization, and mild deterioration on day 21, followed by recovery. Histopathologic study showed that fingolimod given throughout the entire phase or only from the effector phase suppressed murine EAON. Immunohistochemical study for neurofilament demonstrated no irregularity of the linear structure of the optic nerve in the fingolimod-treated mice compared with the positive control group. CONCLUSION: Fingolimod ameliorated EAON even when started after optic neuritis had developed. Further study is warranted to examine whether these findings are applicable to human disease.

Relation of clinical, serological, morphological, and electrophysiological findings in galactocerebroside-induced experimental allergic neuritis.

Rabbits were immunised repeatedly with bovine brain galactocerebroside. Almost all animals developed overt polyradiculoneuropathy. Circulating IgG antibodies to galactocerebroside in the serum and deposits of IgG in the spinal roots were detectable weeks before definite clinical, morphological, and electrophysiological alterations occurred. The levels of IgG antibody titres to galactocerebroside did not correlate with the severity of the clinical disease and of nerve conduction slowing. Remyelination and a virtually complete recovery of nerve dysfunction occurred although circulating antibodies to galactocerebroside were still present.

Experimental allergic neuritis: demyelination induced by P2 alone and non-specific enhancement by cerebroside.

Experimental allergic neuritis was induced in male inbred Lewis rats immunized with myelin, P2 alone, P2 mixed with galactocerebroside and P2 mixed with glucocerebroside. Neurological deficit started significantly earlier in myelin-immunized rats than in P2-immunized rats. Although myelin-immunized rats appeared most severely affected, differences between the groups in maximum neurological deficit were not significant. The course of the disease of the P2-galactocerebroside-immunized animals did not differ from that of the P2-glucocerebroside-immunized group. Histologically, cellular infiltration and demyelination were more conspicuous 12 days after immunization in the group immunized with myelin than in the other rats. After 21 days, primary demyelination was prominent in all groups: its frequency and severity were similar in the myelin-immunized and P2-immunized animals. The P2-galactocerebroside-immunized group had significantly more frequent demyelination than the P2-immunized group. Wallerian degeneration was prominent in all groups at this stage. We conclude that P2 alone does induce demyelination and that galactocerebroside added to the immunizing emulsion enhances the response but no more than the non-myelin lipid glucocerebroside.