title: Laquinimod exerts strong clinical and immunomodulatory effects in Lewis rat experimental autoimmune neuritis.
abstract: Laquinimod is an immunomodulatory drug with neuroprotective potential. We used the animal model of experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) in the Lewis rat to study the effects of laquinimod treatment. After immunization with the neuritogenic peptide aa 53-78 of P2 myelin protein, preventive therapy with 12.5mg/kg laquinimod once daily inhibited neuritis in clinical and electrophysiological terms. Histology corroborated a lower degree of inflammatory lesions and demyelination in the sciatic nerve. The proportion of FoxP3-positive regulatory T cells in the peripheral lymph nodes of treated rats remained unchanged. We conclude that laquinimod may represent a therapeutic option in human autoimmune neuropathies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: kalliapit@yahoo.gr.
authors.forename: Kalliopi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pitarokoili
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ambrosius
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schrewe
authors.affiliation: Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, 5 Bazel Street, Petah Tiqva 49131, Israel.
authors.forename: Liat
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hayardeny
authors.affiliation: Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, 5 Bazel Street, Petah Tiqva 49131, Israel.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayden
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: ralf.gold@rub.de.
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gold
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D009444:Neuritis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D015363:Quinolones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D015363:Quinolones; C476223:laquinimod
keywords: Autoimmune neuropathies; Autoimmunity; Experimental autoimmune neuritis; Immunotherapy; Inflammation; Laquinimod