title: Effects of neurointermediate pituitary lobectomy and desmopressin on acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in Lewis rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of arginine vasopressin (AVP) as a direct immune regulator has not yet been clarified, and more work is needed to assess its involvement in the immunoneuroendocrine network. In the present study, the effects of neurointermediate pituitary lobectomy (NIL) and desmopressin (DP), an agonist of AVP, on acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in female Lewis rats were evaluated. The activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis was also assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five groups of rats were used, as follows: (1) sham-operated (SHAM) rats, (2) SHAM + DP rats, (3) NIL rats, (4) NIL + DP rats and (5) untreated normal control rats. DP treatment started 2 weeks after surgery, and immunization to induce EAE was carried out 1 week later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SHAM rats developed full-blown clinical and histological signs of EAE and activation of the HPA axis. SHAM + DP animals had mild clinical signs of EAE, inflammatory infiltrations in the spinal cord and an activated HPA axis. NIL animals developed minimal EAE, scanty spinal cord inflammation and no changes in HPA axis activity. NIL + DP rats developed severe clinical signs of EAE, extensive spinal cord inflammatory infiltrations and marked activation of the HPA axis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NIL decreased the cell-mediated immune response, while DP in NIL animals restored the immune response. AVP is directly involved in the maintenance of immune competence.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, México. aquinta@correo.uaa.mx
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quintanar-Stephano
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Organista-Esparza
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chavira-Ramírez
authors.forename: Kalman
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.forename: Istvan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Berczi
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D003894:Deamino Arginine Vasopressin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007121:Immunocompetence; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000601:surgery*; D052716:Pituitary Gland, Intermediate / Q000601:surgery*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D014554:Urination / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003894:Deamino Arginine Vasopressin; D003345:Corticosterone