title: Expression of interleukin-16 in sciatic nerves, spinal roots and spinal cords of experimental autoimmune neuritis rats.
abstract: Experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) is a well-known animal model of Guillain-Barré Syndrome. In this study, we studied the spatiotemporal expression of interleukin-16 (IL-16) in the nervous system of EAN rats and pharmacological effects of minocycline on IL-16 expressions in EAN rats. In sciatic nerves and dorsal/ventral roots of EAN rats, IL-16+ cells, identified as macrophages and T cells, were mainly found to concentrate around blood vessels. However, in spinal cords, IL-16+ microglial cells were mainly found in lumbar dorsal horns. Massive IL-16+ cell accumulation in sciatic nerves and spinal roots was temporally correlated with severity of neurological signs of EAN. Furthermore, a strong correlation of IL-16+ cell accumulation with local demyelination in perivascular areas of sciatic nerves, and significant reduction of IL-16+ cell numbers in sciatic nerves and spinal cords by minocycline suggested a pathological contribution of IL-16+ cells in EAN. Taken together, robust IL-16+ cell accumulation in the nervous system and its temporal correlation with severity of neurological signs in EAN might suggest a pathological role of IL-16 in EAN, which makes IL-16 a potential pharmacological target.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Calwer Street 3, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Zhi-Yuan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhiren
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Fauser
authors.forename: Hermann J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schluesener
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019410:Interleukin-16 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008911:Minocycline / Q000494:pharmacology; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000502:physiology; D009444:Neuritis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019410:Interleukin-16; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D008911:Minocycline