Suppression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by gallium nitrate.
We examined the effect of gallium (Ga) nitrate on the development of the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Weekly subcutaneous injections of 10-30 mg/kg prevented clinical signs as well as histopathological changes of EAE. The optimal timing of a single injection of Ga was 6 days after induction of EAE, with amelioration also apparent following a single injection on day 3 or 9 but not day 12. Ga administered in vivo suppressed myelin basic protein (MBP) and purified protein derivative-specific lymphocyte proliferative responses in vitro. Addition of Ga to MBP-specific T lymphocyte line cultures at various times after initiation of culture revealed that Ga exerts an effect at an early stage of cellular activation.
Whitacre
C
C
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210.
Apseloff
G
G
Cox
K
K
Matkovic
V
V
Jewell
S
S
Gerber
N
N
D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005708:Gallium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D014373:Tuberculin
D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D014373:Tuberculin; D003208:Concanavalin A; D005708:Gallium; C027235:gallium nitrate