Amelioration of experimental allergic neuritis by sodium fusidate (fusidin): suppression of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha and enhancement of IL-10.
The immunomodulating antibiotic drug fusidic acid and its sodium salt sodium fusidate (fusidin) ameliorate several organ-specific immunoinflammatory diseases. Because preliminary observations suggest that fusidin may also exert a beneficial effect in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), here we have studied the effects of fusidin on actively induced experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) in rats, a known animal model for GBS. Both prophylactic and therapeutic treatment with fusidin (4 mg/rat day ip) markedly ameliorated the clinical course of the disease compared to vehicle-treated animals. The beneficial effects were associated with profound modifications of the capacity of these rats to produce and release pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL-10, which are important in regulating the development of EAN.
Di Marco
R
R
Unit of Neuroimmunology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. rdimarco@iskra.it
Khademi
M
M
Wallstrom
E
E
Muhallab
S
S
Nicoletti
F
F
Olsson
T
T
D000818:Animals; D005672:Fusidic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009444:Neuritis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D005672:Fusidic Acid; D007371:Interferon-gamma