IL-6-deficient mice are resistant to the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis provoked by myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein.
The role of IL-6 in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) provoked by myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) was investigated using IL-6-deficient mice. We show here that IL-6-deficient mice were resistant to the MOG-induced EAE as compared to wild-type mice (one out of 18 versus 17 out of 20). The delayed-type hypersensitivity response, lymphocyte proliferation response and antibody reactivity to MOG in IL-6-deficient mice were significantly lower than those in wild-type mice. Furthermore, the histological examination revealed that no infiltration of inflammatory cells was observed in the central nervous system of IL-6-deficient mice. These results indicate that IL-6 may play a crucial role in the induction phase of EAE. Given the potential relevance of this animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS), it is possible that anti-IL-6 therapy may be useful in the prevention of relapses of MS.
Okuda
Y
Y
Department of Neurology, Osaka University Medical School, Suita, Japan.
Sakoda
S
S
Bernard
C C
CC
Fujimura
H
H
Saeki
Y
Y
Kishimoto
T
T
Yanagihara
T
T
D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000276:immunology*; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015850:Interleukin-6; C571326:MOG protein, human; C571327:Mog protein, mouse; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein