RESUMO
Our objective was to develop a chronic model of EAN which could be used as a tool to test treatment strategies for CIDP. Lewis rats injected with S-palmitoylated P0(180-199) peptide developed a chronic, sometimes relapsing-remitting type of disease. Our model fulfills electrophysiological criteria of demyelination with axonal degeneration, confirmed by immunohistopathology. The late phase of the chronic disease was characterized by accumulation of IL-17(+) cells and macrophages in sciatic nerves and by high serum IL-17 levels. In conclusion, we have developed a reliable and reproducible animal model resembling CIDP that can now be used for translational drug studies.
Assuntos
Modelos Animais de Doenças , Proteína P0 da Mielina/química , Proteína P0 da Mielina/toxicidade , Polirradiculoneuropatia Desmielinizante Inflamatória Crônica/patologia , Polirradiculoneuropatia Desmielinizante Inflamatória Crônica/fisiopatologia , Animais , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Proliferação de Células/fisiologia , Eletrofisiologia , Potenciais Evocados/fisiologia , Interleucina-17/sangue , Linfócitos/metabolismo , Linfócitos/patologia , Macrófagos/patologia , Masculino , Peptídeos/toxicidade , Polirradiculoneuropatia Desmielinizante Inflamatória Crônica/sangue , Polirradiculoneuropatia Desmielinizante Inflamatória Crônica/induzido quimicamente , Ratos , Ratos Endogâmicos Lew , Nervo Isquiático/patologia , Nervo Isquiático/fisiopatologia , Linfócitos T/patologiaRESUMO
Myelin protein 0 peptide 106-125-induced murine experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) is a CD4-positive T cell-mediated monophasic axonal inflammatory neuropathy; interferon-γ is the key proinflammatory mediator. Experimental autoimmune neuritis is well suited for elucidating pathogenetic mechanisms underlying human acute axonal Guillain-Barré syndrome. Here, the functional role of the costimulatory molecule CD40 was defined by characterization of EAN in CD40-deficient mice. In contrast to immunized C57BL/6 mice, CD40-deficient mice were resistant to EAN owing to impaired priming of CD4-positive T-effector cells. To determine whether CD40 is a suitable candidate for the treatment of EAN, we administered monoclonal anti-CD40 antibody either before immunization or upon onset of neurologic signs. Prophylactic anti-CD40 treatment completely abolished CD4-positive T-cell priming. Therapeutic application of anti-CD40 prevented full activation of CD4-positive T cells that were in the process of priming and suppressed production of interferon-γ in peripheral lymph nodes, spleen, and serum, and of interleukin-6, interleukin-12p40, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, which are associated with activation of the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway. This resulted in enhanced recovery by early generation of CD25-positive, Foxp3-positive, CD4-positive regulatory T cells. Thus, these experiments highlight the crucial role of CD40 as an important costimulatory molecule in EAN and suggest that it has potential as a therapeutic target in human neuritis.
