title: A novel immunomodulator, FTY720, prevents development of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis in C57BL/6 mice.
abstract: Prophylactic oral administration of a novel immunomodulator (immunosuppressant), FTY720 (1 mg/kg, three times a week), completely prevented the development of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) in C57BL/6 mice. EAMG has been used as an animal model for human myasthenia gravis, and was established by immunizing the mice with acetylcholine receptor (AChR) from Torpedo californica. FTY720 also suppressed the production of both anti-Torpedo californica AChR antibody and anti-mouse AChR autoantibody by the mice, which were observed in mice in which EAMG had become established. These results strongly suggest that FTY720 is a promising candidate for treatment of human myasthenia gravis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan. kohno@pharm.setsunan.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takeyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kohno
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirayama
authors.forename: Rumi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iwatsuki
authors.forename: Michitaka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.forename: Kazuhito
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watabe
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kohno
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005260:Female; D000068876:Fingolimod Hydrochloride; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020720:Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011409:Propylene Glycols; D000068876:Fingolimod Hydrochloride; D013110:Sphingosine