Protective effects of pharmacological therapies in animal models of multiple sclerosis: a review of studies 2014–2019

Journal Article · 08 January 2020 · Neural Regeneration Research

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1673-5374.272572 · OSTI ID:1628703

Martinez, Bridget ^[1]; Peplow, Philip V. ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); St. Georges University, True Blue (Grenada); DOE/OSTI
2. University of Otago, Dunedin (New Zealand). Dept. of Anatomy

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. The disability caused by inflammatory demyelination clinically dominates the early stages of relapsing-remitting MS and is reversible. Once there is considerable loss of axons, MS patients enter a secondary progressive stage. Disease-modifying drugs currently in use for MS suppress the immune system and reduce relapse rates but are not effective in the progressive stage. Various animal models of MS (mostly mouse and rat) have been established and proved useful in studying the disease process and response to therapy. The experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis animal studies reviewed here showed that a chronic progressive disease can be induced by immunization with appropriate amounts of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein together with mycobacterium tuberculosis and pertussis toxin in Freund’s adjuvant. The clinical manifestations of autoimmune encephalomyelitis disease were prevented or reduced by treatment with certain pharmacological agents given prior to, at, or after peak disease, and the agents had protective effects as shown by inhibiting demyelination and damage to neurons, axons and oligodendrocytes. In the cuprizone-induced toxicity animal studies, the pharmacological agents tested were able to promote remyelination and increase the number of oligodendrocytes when administered therapeutically or prophylactically. A monoclonal IgM antibody protected axons in the spinal cord and preserved motor function in animals inoculated with Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus. In all these studies the pharmacological agents were administered singly. A combination therapy may be more effective, especially using agents that target neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, as they may exert synergistic actions.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1628703
• Journal Information: Neural Regeneration Research, Journal Name: Neural Regeneration Research Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 15; ISSN 1673-5374
• Publisher: Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine (CARM)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English