title: Lack of effect of methylene blue in the SOD1 G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methylene blue (MB) is a drug with a long history and good safety profile, and with recently-described features desirable in a treatment for ALS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We tested oral MB in inbred high-copy number SOD1 G93A mice, at 25 mg/kg/day beginning at 45 days of age. We measured disease onset, progression, and survival. There was no difference in disease onset between MB-treated mice and controls, although subgroup analysis showed a modest but statistically significant delay in disease onset in MB-treated female mice only (control 122 ± 10.2 versus MB 129 ± 10.0 days). MB-treated mice of both sexes spent more time in less severe stages of disease, and less time in later, more severe stages of disease. There was a non-significant trend to longer survival in MB-treated animals (control males reached endpoint at 161 ± 14.1 days, versus 166 ± 10.0 days for MB-treated animals, and control females reached endpoint at 171 ± 6.2 days versus 173 ± 13.4 days for MB-treated animals).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In spite of a strong theoretical rationale, MB had no significant effects on onset or survival in the inbred SOD1 G93A mouse model of ALS.
authors: Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Rosamond
authors: R
authors: Lougheed
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Turnbull
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D020297:Mice, Congenic; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics*; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: C000606291:Sod1 protein, mouse; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1; D008751:Methylene Blue